Empirical Analysis of the User Needs and the Business Models in the Norwegian Charging Infrastructure Ecosystem

Figenbaum, E.; Wangsness, P.B.; Amundsen, A.H.; Milch, V. Empirical Analysis of the User Needs and the Business Models in the Norwegian Charging Infrastructure Ecosystem. World Electr. Veh. J. 2022, 13, 185. https://doi.org/10.3390/wevj13100185The Norwegian charging infrastructure ecosystem was investigated from a user perspective by (1) developing knowledge of end-user experiences with public charging, (2) mapping BEV owners and future owner’s user-friendliness needs and the extent to which these needs are met, (3) pointing at potential user-friendliness improvements, (4) mapping the charging infrastructure ecosystem and business models, and (5) developing scenarios for the future system development and the impact on charging infrastructure user-friendliness. The article draws on the literature, a BEV (battery electric vehicle) and ICEV (internal combustion engine vehicle) owner survey, 15 BEV owner interviews, 21 charging infrastructure actor interviews, and open information sources on the charger actors. The unregulated charging system evolved into a complex web of actors that developed their own charging networks following their individually sensible business models, which in sum led to serious user-friendliness issues. To gain access to all chargers, users need to interact with up to 20–30 apps and 13 payment systems, which comes on top of different plug types, power levels, and charger interfaces. Some actors support roaming, while others oppose it. OEMs want users to interface with chargers through the navigation system. In the future, the system will become even more complex and less user friendly as more actors join unless, e.g., consolidation, regulation, or independent network orchestrators reduce the complexity.publishedVersio

Maritime safety culture and safety behaviours in Greece and Norway: Comparing professional seafarers and private leisure boat users

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Maritime safety culture and safety behaviours in Greece and Norway: Comparing professional seafarers and private leisure boat users

The present study compares professional seafarers and private leisure boat users in Norway and Greece. The aims of the present study are to examine the safety behaviours related to personal injuries and accidents among these groups and to study the factors influencing these behaviours. This will serve as a backdrop to a general discussion of why the level of fatalities is higher among private boat users than among professional seafarers and what the former may learn from the latter. The study is based on surveys to crew members on Norwegian and Greek cargo and passenger vessels and leisure boat users in Norway and Greece. Our study indicates that while unsafe behaviours related to work pressure and risk taking are important among professional seafarers (i.e. risk acceptance and violations), unsafe behaviours related to the leisure/holiday situation was important for the leisure boat users (i.e. alcohol use while driving a boat). Additionally, we discuss how the situation of private leisure boat users is less regulated than that of professional seafarers. Our study indicates that both in the professional and the private setting, norms for interaction and conduct seem to be influenced by norms and expectations rooted in different socio-cultural groups, e.g. the national culture, the specific sector in question, the organisations and in peer groups.publishedVersio

Facilitating adoption of electric buses through policy: Learnings from a trial in Norway

Learning from first experiences of battery-electric bus (E-bus) trials is important to facilitate uptake and develop effective public policy. Here we present initial E-bus trials in Oslo and use the case to 1) model total cost of ownership (TCO) of E-buses vs. diesel buses, and 2) discuss challenges, opportunities, and policy implications. Together, this yields a holistic analysis of requirements for speeding up E-bus adoption, spanning operators and policymakers. Results revealed that rapid E-bus roll-out was achieved through successful contract change order use combined with authority support to reduce operator risk. Challenges were encountered surrounding technical issues, climatization energy use and infrastructure establishment in dense urban areas. In addition, urban E-bus TCO is currently high, and since operation is mostly tender controlled with investment costs covered, higher costs must be covered by public budgets. Despite challenges, operators are positive to further E-bus use, suggesting that companies are willing to support innovation when financial risk is low. We expect E-bus operation to become competitive to diesel buses in Oslo by 2025; to facilitate adoption before economic parity, municipalities and transport authorities must continue to play a large role. Further regulation is also urgently needed to facilitate common infrastructure planning and development

Maritime safety culture and safety behaviours in Greece and Norway: Comparing professional seafarers and private leisure boat users

The present study compares professional seafarers and private leisure boat users in Norway and Greece. The aims of the present study are to examine the safety behaviours related to personal injuries and accidents among these groups and to study the factors influencing these behaviours. This will serve as a backdrop to a general discussion of why the level of fatalities is higher among private boat users than among professional seafarers and what the former may learn from the latter. The study is based on surveys to crew members on Norwegian and Greek cargo and passenger vessels and leisure boat users in Norway and Greece. Our study indicates that while unsafe behaviours related to work pressure and risk taking are important among professional seafarers (i.e. risk acceptance and violations), unsafe behaviours related to the leisure/holiday situation was important for the leisure boat users (i.e. alcohol use while driving a boat). Additionally, we discuss how the situation of private leisure boat users is less regulated than that of professional seafarers. Our study indicates that both in the professional and the private setting, norms for interaction and conduct seem to be influenced by norms and expectations rooted in different socio-cultural groups, e.g. the national culture, the specific sector in question, the organisations and in peer groups