Driving and parking patterns of European car drivers – a mobility survey

Abstract

The development of innovative vehicles such as electric driven cars is an important potential option for improving the sustainability of the transport sector. A significant penetration of electric vehicles in the market is possible only if their use is compatible with mobility patterns of individuals. For instance, the driven distance should be compatible with the batteries range or parking patterns should enable re-charging. The JRC-IET together with TRT and IPSOS analyzed car mobility patterns derived from direct surveys in six European Union Member States (France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and United Kingdom). The report aims at providing some insights on how electric vehicles could fit mobility habits of European car drivers. The analysis is based on the data collected within six European countries by means of a sample survey. A web-based car trips diary was filled in by on average 600 individuals in each country. The individuals logged for 7 consecutive days their driving and parking patterns in 5 minute intervals. For each trip several details such as departure and arrival time, distance and parking place were registered. Socioeconomic characteristics of individuals were also collected. The same questionnaire format was used in all countries allowing for comparability of responses. Representativeness of the derived data was ensured by weighting and aligning the received sample to the socio-demographic reference universe of each member state. Survey results are statistically analyzed to describe mobility patterns. In particular, the information on average number of car trips per day, daily travel distance, daily travel time, trip distance, distribution of parking and driving, distribution of parking places, trip purposes, duration of parking and many other parameters per Member State are analyzed and presented in the report. Moreover, the analysis of the survey data shows which share of driving patterns are compatible with the use of electric cars with their current technical features (batteries range, re-charge time) under alternative assumptions about the availability of re-charge facilities. Also differences and similarities between countries and user groups are discussed. Overall, the results of the survey provide representative driving profiles for estimating the charging profiles of electric vehicles and many other indications on how people use their car. The outcomes of the survey provide relevant methodological hints to develop similar surveys in other contexts or to repeat the survey in other countries.JRC.F.6-Energy systems evaluatio