Addressing electric vehicle (EV) sales and range anxiety through parking layout, policy and regulation

• Published in: Transportation research. Part A, Policy and practice Policy and practice, 2016-01, Vol.83, p.63-73
• Main Authors: Bonges, Henry A., Lusk, Anne C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anxiety; Automobiles; Automotive engineering; Charging; Charging etiquette; Charging legislation; Electric vehicle; Electric vehicles; Legislation; Octopus; Parking; Sales
• ISSN: 0965-8564; 1879-2375
• DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2015.09.011

•Parking locations are now limiting and should be redesigned to maximize EV access to chargers.•Chargers should clearly indicate if an EV is charged.•Etiquette cards could provide permission to unplug a charged EV.•Legislation that now tickets unplugged EVs should be eliminated.•Legislation is needed to allow charged vehicles or those with an etiquette card to be unplugged. Electric Vehicles (EV) are highly beneficial due to their reliance on electricity and Climate Change response yet EV sales are lower than would be expected due to range anxiety. If a potential buyer cannot be assured of having constantly-available and compatible charging stations, they will not purchase an EV. To increase the sales of EVs through improved charger availability, this paper examines parking configurations, charger design, convenient “EV only” parking, free charging, etiquette in unplugging another’s vehicle, and legislation. Data were derived from academic publications, trade market press, conversations, personal observations, and laws. The results show that chargers are often in a lot’s corner and thus accessible only to one vehicle, EV owners leave their charged car in the space, drivers use EV spaces for parking, etiquette cards are not understood, and legislation makes it illegal to unplug another’s EV. Improvements include less convenient charger spots, an octopus charger in the middle of the parking lot, modest charging fees to foster turnover, chargers that indicate an EV is charged, education and legislation about etiquette cards, and legislation that allows an individual to unplug another’s charged EV. Improvements to charging should be implemented simultaneously to lessen range anxiety and realize the environmental benefits from reductions in gasoline consumption and mobile source air pollution.