Alleviating a form of electric vehicle range anxiety through On-Demand vehicle access

On-demand vehicle access is a method that can be used to reduce types of range anxiety problems related to planned travel for electric vehicle owners. Using ideas from elementary queueing theory, basic QoS metrics are defined to dimension a shared fleet to ensure high levels of vehicle access. Using mobility data from Ireland, it is argued that the potential cost of such a system is very low

Charging ahead on the transition to electric vehicles with standard 120 v wall outlets

Electrification of transportation is needed soon and at significant scale to meet climate goals, but electric vehicle adoption has been slow and there has been little systematic analysis to show that today's electric vehicles meet the needs of drivers. We apply detailed physics-based models of electric vehicles with data on how drivers use their cars on a daily basis. We show that the energy storage limits of today's electric vehicles are outweighed by their high efficiency and the fact that driving in the United States seldom exceeds 100 km of daily travel. When accounting for these factors, we show that the normal daily travel of 85-89% of drivers in the United States can be satisfied with electric vehicles charging with standard 120 V wall outlets at home only. Further, we show that 77-79% of drivers on their normal daily driving will have over 60 km of buffer range for unexpected trips. We quantify the sensitivities to terrain, high ancillary power draw, and battery degradation and show that an extreme case with all trips on a 3% uphill grade still shows the daily travel of 70% of drivers being satisfied with electric vehicles. These findings show that today's electric vehicles can satisfy the daily driving needs of a significant majority of drivers using only 120 V wall outlets that are already the standard across the United States

Beyond the paradise tax: Assessing the potential for rental vehicle electrification in Kaua\u27i County, Hawai\u27i

Rental car fleets have high potential to contribute to electric vehicle (EV) adoption within the Hawaiian Islands as part of the state’s efforts to fully decarbonize its ground transportation by 2045. Of the four main islands, Kauaʻi County’s small and simple road network, high penetration of renewable energy, and low speed limits make it an ideal candidate for a pilot EV rental program. This research seeks to accomplish three primary goals: a) quantify the relative economic and environmental benefits of rental electric vehicles over internal combustion rentals, b) identify crucial locations for additional charging infrastructure, and c) provide policy recommendations aimed at improving EV adoption both within Kauaʻi County and the State of Hawai’i. Across all three examined categories, EVs appear to cost more than internal-combustion vehicles for rental car companies, requiring additional measures to achieve cost parity. Previous studies suggest that in tourist-heavy destinations, partnering with local businesses and attractions to offer benefits to EV rental program participants may increase the appeal of switching away from a conventional rental car. The Plug-in Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (PEVI) model highlights a near-term need for DC Fast Chargers on the north and west sides of the island, and predicts a significant need for additional chargers in the urban core of Kapa‘a by 2025. Composing an EV rental fleet of exclusively long-range (\u3e200 miles/full charge) electric vehicles can help eliminate the common problem of “range anxiety”, especially when coupled with a reliable, wide network of DC Fast Chargers

Fear and loathing of electric vehicles: the reactionary rhetoric of range anxiety

“Range anxiety,” defined as the psychological anxiety a consumer experiences in response to the limited range of an electric vehicle, continues to be labelled and presented as one of the most pressing barriers to their mainstream diffusion. As a result, academia, policymakers and even industry have focused on addressing the range anxiety barrier in order to accelerate adoption. Much literature recognizes that range anxiety is increasingly psychological, rather than technical, in its nature. However, we argue in this paper that even psychological and technical explanations are incomplete. We examine range anxiety through Hirschman’s Rhetoric of Reaction, which supposes that conservative forces may oppose change by propagating theses related to jeopardy, perversity, and futility. To do so, we use three qualitative methods to understand the role of range anxiety triangulated via a variety of perspectives: 227 semi-structured interviews with experts at 201 institutions, a survey with nearly 5,000 respondents, and 8 focus groups, all across 17 cities in the five Nordic countries. We find evidence where consumers and experts use and perpetuate the rhetoric of reaction, particularly the jeopardy thesis. We conclude with a reexamination of the policies geared to assuage range-based barriers, which a construction of range anxiety as a rhetorical excuse would render as ineffective or inefficient, as well as future implications for diffusion theory

A survey-based assessment of how existing and potential electric vehicle owners perceive range anxiety

Electric vehicle (EV) owners enjoy many positive aspects when driving their cars, including low running costs and zero tailpipe gas emissions, which makes EVs a clean technology provided that they are sourced through renewable sources, e.g., biomass, solar power, or wind energy. However, their driving behaviour is often negatively affected by the so-called range anxiety phenomenon, i.e., a concern that an EV might not have enough driving range to reach the desired destination due to its limited battery size. The perception of range anxiety may also affect potential buyers in their decisions on whether to purchase an internal combustion engine vehicle as opposed to an EV. This paper investigates some factors that influence range anxiety through a comparative analysis of two target groups: (i) existing EV owners, and (ii) non-EV owners (i.e., potential EV owners). The specially crafted survey was used to collect range anxiety data from more than 200 participants. In particular, participants provided their perceptions on (i) the potential relationship between existing gas station infrastructure and the desired EV charging station infrastructure, and (ii) the potential relationship between range anxiety and two influencing variables, namely the current state of charge and remaining range. Concerning the existing gas station infrastructure, evidence suggests that both target groups think that the distances between gas stations could be increased. Moreover, our analysis shows that the desired distances between charging stations correspond to the distances between the existing gas stations, which indicates that both EV owners and non-EV owners have a common view on the optimal gas station and charging station topology. Furthermore, we find that the type of settlement (urban vs rural) influences preferred distances, where both target groups living in cities desire shorter distances, and that non-EV owners, as opposed to EV owners, are more prone to be affected by the state of charge and remaining range. Quantitatively, we are able to define a measure for range anxiety, which is connected with the preferred distance between two neighbouring charging stations. Throughout our analyses, we find that the mean preferred distance between two neighbouring charging stations is 7 km, but this value significantly differs based on the settlement type of a (potential) EV owner

Electrifying urban ridesourcing fleets at no added cost through efficient use of charging infrastructure

Ridesourcing fleets present an opportunity for rapid uptake of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) but adoption has largely been limited to small pilot projects. Lack of charging infrastructure presents a major barrier to scaling up, but little public information exists on the infrastructure needed to support ridesourcing electrification. With data on ridesourcing trips for New York City and San Francisco, and using agent-based simulations of BEV fleets, we show that given a sparse network of three to four 50 kW chargers per square mile, BEVs can provide the same level of service as internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) at lower cost. This suggests that the cost of charging infrastructure is not a significant barrier to ridesourcing electrification. With coordinated use of charging infrastructure across vehicles, we also find that fleet performance becomes robust to variation in battery range and placement of chargers. Our analysis suggests that mandates on ridesourcing such as the California Clean Miles Standard could achieve electrification without significantly increasing the cost of ridesourcing services

On the Design of Campus Parking Systems with QoS guarantees

Parking spaces are resources that can be pooled together and shared, especially when there are complementary day-time and night-time users. We answer two design questions. First, given a quality of service requirement, how many spaces should be set aside as contingency during day-time for night-time users? Next, how can we replace the first-come-first-served access method by one that aims at optimal efficiency while keeping user preferences private

CEVIT: A Useful Analysis to Address the Current EV Chargers on KSU Marietta Campus

Currently there is only one Electric Vehicle Charging Station at Kennesaw State University Marietta campus. With demand for Electric Vehicles only increasing year by year Implementing EV chargers will prepare KSU with future Electric Vehicle drivers, show that KSU is cutting back on its carbon footprint, and can potentially incite potential students to come to KSU. CEVIT aims to show the costs associated with Installing EV chargers, optimal locations to place EV chargers, and compares the different types of chargers KSU could install

Electric Bus Charging Infrastructures: Technologies, Standards, and Configurations

Rapid growth in the electrification of bus fleets, driven by substantial environmental benefits, is facing challenges such as range anxiety, prolonged charging durations, and reduced flexibility compared to combustion engine buses. This study first conducts a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of diverse publications to identify key research trends in electric buses (E-buses). It then offers a thorough comparison of charging technologies, encompassing topologies, power flow capabilities, costs, grid impacts, and efficiency, along with an examination of existing standards, norms, and challenges. With a classification of nearly 150 references, the study aims to illuminate the strengths and weaknesses of each charging technology, providing a solid background for selecting optimal topologies and strategies for specific applications. Emphasizing the importance of a nuanced trade-off between the quantity and type of chargers and E-bus battery capacity in each scenario, the research goes beyond technical considerations to explore potential future trends in the field. The information gathered in this review is a helpful guide for policymakers, industry experts, and researchers dealing with the complexities of E-bus charging infrastructure