User preferences regarding charging can be detected directly, through surveys, or indirectly, by analyzing mobility and travel needs from data collected by traffic acquisition systems or GPS. Surveys usually provide disaggregated data, from which information on users’ characteristics can be extracted, while mobility data are usually aggregated with none or limited information on users.
2.2.1. Survey Based Papers
A valid tool to investigate charging behavior are the questionnaires addressed to actual or potential EV users. The questionnaires can explore various aspects related to mobility, such as travel and charging habits, responses to policies, and attitudes toward EV. At the same time, they aim to highlight possible influences of different parameters on the results, such as socio-economic, territorial, infrastructural aspects, which are more difficult to identify or even undetectable using other approaches based, e.g., on charge events or traffic data.
2.2.1.1. Travel Survey
Some questionnaires and surveys collect travel data from which it is possible to infer charging behavior. In fact, the travel pattern of an EV user is a key factor in simulating and predicting the distribution of charging demand. The validity of household travel surveys in estimating charging load has been tested in the Swiss context in [
28]. The study uses the results of a survey on ICE cars, and assumes a complete transformation into EVs, both pure battery (BEV) and plug-in hybrids (PHEV). The load curves obtained under this hypothesis are compared with the measurements made in various field tests for the EVs, showing a good agreement. The charging decision scheme modeled depends solely on the SOC. The same charging criterion is adopted by Iqbal et al. [
29] to determine the power demand for residential EVSE. Using traffic survey data on ICE and assuming a transition to EV, they classify daily usage based on different categories of car owners and provide an estimate of SOC based on distances traveled. The importance of travel choices in the charging decisions is illustrated in Zhang et al. [
11]. They explore the relationship between two models of causal choices: in the first, the charging strategy is determined first and affects the travel chain; in the other, the journey influences the charge decision. The preferences from about 500 questionnaires show that the model in which the travel choice precedes that of recharging is more suitable for interpreting the experimental charging curves.
Gao et al. [
30] use mobility questionnaires explicitly devoted to EV owners to construct the spatial and temporal distribution of stops as a function of destinations. Findings show that the charging demand in residential area and workplaces are the largest, followed by public park lots and curbside parking.
A survey on driving and ownership data is the basis of the charging demand estimation for public infrastructure in urban areas where the domestic charging is not broadly available [
31]. The results reveal that nearly 78% of energy demand can be supplied by private CPs, of which 11% provided by chargers installed in shared residential parking lots, reducing the need for public CPs by up to 58%. For commuters without home charging, workplaces charging could lower the need for public charging by 68%. DC fast charging would amount only to 3% of the total charging demand due to the significantly higher cost and greater inconvenience of the dedicated stop. Charge demand at workplace charging facilities is evaluated also in [
32]. The survey outcomes show that slow chargers in the workplace can almost completely meet the intra-city travel demand of private EVs, even if the size of the city greatly influences the mobility patterns, and the charging demand curves due to the different travel needs.
2.2.1.2. Users Charging Preferences Survey
Survey results are often combined with data from other sources to obtain even more reliable charging behavior simulations, especially to account for the impact that variability of trips and charging behaviors has on the estimation of aggregate charging demand [
33]. The study reported in [
34] crosses the topographic data of various points of interest with the time users spend near them, the average stop for daily activity, and vehicle fleet data. Data from travel surveys are combined with those from the charging of an EV fleet to evaluate the impact of charging on the grid [
35,
36].
Other surveys-based studies explicitly focus on investigating users’ charging preferences and which factors affect the decision. A joint research based on stated mobility and charging choices [
37] shows that the instantaneous SOC is the most important factor in influencing the decision to charge, while the predicted SOC at the destination affects the route choice. Charging time, proximity to the origin and consistency with the direction of travel significantly influence the charging station selection process [
37]. Users often recharge with SOCs above 50%, especially at home or work, and the availability of slow charging at the destination leads to not considering the choice of fast charging [
38].
Results in [
39] show that Korean consumers prefer charging mainly during the evening at home. However, during peak hours, people favor fast public charging. Similar results are reported in an Australian survey [
40]: in general, charging habits are strongly influenced by costs, and drivers prefer charging their EVs at home or work rather than at a public charging station. However, people with travel commitments involving other family members prefer using a public charging station. Daina et al. [
41] investigate home charging preferences showing that the energy to charge has a positive marginal utility in most cases, while the charging time has a more complex influence: most of the users keep the vehicle under charge until they stay at home and do not to finish charging if this causes delays in departure. The charge cost always has a negative marginal utility.
An extensive analysis of charging behaviors in the USA [
42] collected data on location, time, and power of charge events. 57% of users stated that they only charge at home, and 40% at home and away from home, mainly at work. Most users start charging when they plug in their vehicle, but around 20% use a timer to shift their EV load to off-peak hours. In addition, the higher the EV range, the more likely the respondent is to use public charging.
A stated choice survey and willingness-to-pay (WTP) analysis confirmed home charging as the primary charging method, while public infrastructure was deemed insufficient [
43]. The determining factors in the charging choice are the price, the occupancy rate and the waiting time at the charging infrastructure. An acceptable distance from the destination point to the charging infrastructure is 5-10 minutes walking distance [
43]. Other WTP analysis shows that it increases proportionally to the CP power and its distance from the city center [
44]. Dorcec et al. [
45] obtained similar conclusions; moreover, the lower the SOC, the more EV owners are willing to pay for charging. Attention to environmental issues emerges in the positive correlation between the WTP and the portion of recharge energy from renewable sources [
46]. The willingness to participate in smart charging projects that can reduce costs and increase the share of renewable energy has also been confirmed [
47]. Controlled charging is an efficient method to minimize peak demand and maximize the use of renewable sources while reducing costs, although privacy concerns remain [
48]. For this reason, user-controlled charging is preferred over network operator-driven charging [
49].
Fast charging represents an interesting technological solution that could positively affect the diffusion of electric mobility. A stated preferences survey on users’ fast-charging choices on long-distance trips revealed that SOC and the possibility to reach the fast station without deviations from the planned trip are the primary factors influencing charging decisions [
50]. A survey of EV usage in Japan analyzed the SOC when fast charging begins during a road trip. Users' anxiety about charge opportunities strongly affects this value, which varies according to the type of user and their activities [
51]. Based on a revealed preferences survey [
52], the factors influencing the charging mode choice are the battery capacity and SOC, the possibility to charge overnight, and the number of past fast-charge events. In addition, the interval of days between the current charge and the next trip has a positive effect on slow charging at home/company. With a survey of BEV owners, Wen et al. [
53] identify three basic types of charging behavior: triggered by price and need; replenish whenever the opportunity arises; based on a wider range of factors, including charging power, dwell time and the cost of home charging. It also emerged that the respondent majority is willing to pay more for fast charging over slow charging. The preferences expressed on some social media by consumers highlights that direct current (DC) fast charging is popular with consumers for reducing charging times; vehicle range is a concern when traveling long distances or using air conditioners; private charging is particularly appreciated by consumers, but is hampered by the lack of dedicated parking spaces, especially in large cities [
54]. From a questionnaire administered in Germany to owners and potential users of electric cars [
13], it was found that motorway service stations, shops and traditional filling stations are optimal candidates for fast charging stations. A survey conducted by Globisch et al. [
55] suggests that is more important to build a fast charging network than strengthen the slow one.
2.2.1.3. Socio-Demographic and Psychological Aspects
Demographic and social attributes impact travel patterns and influence daily EV load profiles [
56]. In [
57], a charging demand simulation method is proposed that considers people's demographics and social characteristics, e.g., gender, age, and education level, as well as travel-related spatiotemporal variables, which appear to have a considerable effect on the shape of the EV load profile, particularly for working days and workplaces. Males and workers are generally more likely to charge away from home while owning an ICEV beside EV appears to increase the likelihood of only using home charging; age does not appear to have a statistically significant effect on the choice of charging location [
58]. Those who claim to have travel flexibility and those who perceive mobility as a necessity tend to charge on the go. Drivers who plan their travels less tend to charge at home instead [
58]. Users who choose public charging have a high-income level, tolerate waiting in line and travel long distances; conversely, consumers who prefer to charge home at night are sensitive to the charging price [
59]. Y. Zhang et al. [
60] show that the choice of charging is significantly influenced by socio-demographic variables such as gender and risk aversion, as well as by structural factors such as travel chain, coverage of recharging facilities, travel distance, and perception of SOC. Choice of CPs is affected by destination type, parking duration, charge price, next travel distance, travel chain, SOC, and risk aversion [
60].
The aspects related to the charging experience are increasingly arousing the interest of researchers. Asensio et al. [
61] analyze the users' reviews collected online for public and private charging stations. The results show that nearly half of users report a negative experience at charging stations. The judgment of other users on the EVSE quality of service and their attitude to risk influences the choice of the infrastructure, especially for younger and higher-income users [
62].
An approach combining survey and EV data is presented in [
63]. The charging choice is influenced by sociodemographic characteristics, such as the type of home, income and age, but also the availability of domestic charge or free charging in the workplace. Charging network subscriptions has a positive impact on the likelihood of using public infrastructure [
64]. Interestingly, commute length is a significant factor only for PHEV owners and not for BEV owners [
63].
An interesting notion in the psychology behind the charging behavior is the so-called
user–
battery interaction style (UBIS) introduced by Franke & Krems [
65]: users with low UBIS have a lower awareness of the meaning of the energy level of the devices, which leads to recharge based on contextual triggers rather than on the battery SOC. The correct assessment of the residual range is linked to range anxiety. The same survey found that some personality traits, such as self-control and low impulsivity, and greater technical competence were positively correlated with decreased autonomy anxiety [
66]. A survey on ICE and BEV users with varying levels of experience reveals that stress levels for vehicle range are similar in the two groups, even though BEV users demonstrate greater confidence in the vehicle and tank/battery indicators [
67]. Conversely, Yuan et al. [
68] found that BEV drivers tend to have more range anxiety than ICEs if driving on a long journey. Connected to the previous aspects is the attitude to risk in the charging choice [
69]. The inclusion of the risk attitude, in the form of a latent variable, improves the adaptation to the experimental data of the developed forecasting model [
11].
Some studies aim to investigate which actions can improve access to charging and users’ perception of the charging infrastructure as available, reliable, and sufficient for their needs. A pilot experiment on dedicated neighborhood charging [
70] shows that potential EV users value parking-combined and bookable charging options within the city as of paramount importance, especially as parking is a problem heard among EV users and not. A survey of stated preferences without a private residential charging option finds that the most important aspects of public charging are closely related to personal safety and proximity to home, especially if the service is used overnight [
71].
With a view to a comparison with conventional mobility, Dixon et al. [
72] analyses travel diaries to quantify the inconvenience deriving from longer recharging times compared to the refueling times of ICE cars. They verify that around 95% of people with access to domestic charge and medium-sized EV batteries, can achieve equal convenience. That is not the case for people who rely only on workplace or public charging, for whom a percentage of trips would become unattainable.
The effectiveness of policies to influence charging choices is of great interest to local or national authorities, although the evaluation is not always simple. For example, the application of a fee is generally effective in inducing users to move the car at the end of the charge, but the need for parking can lead to nullifying the control action [
73]. Another strategy for indirect control is to act on the charge price with dynamic pricing. The response to this type of solicitation is heterogeneous among different social groups [
74].
In table 1 we present an overview of the studies presented in the section. We summarize the information on the survey (SP: stated preferences; RP: revealed preferences; TS: travel survey; Web: social media or web sites) and any other data sources used; the year and country of data collection; the main topic of the study: tick on 'Users behavior' if the study focuses on charging habits of actual or potential EV users; 'Infrastructures' if the work also considers aspects related to the planning and management of charging infrastructures, such as optimal location, power, ancillary services, impact on the grid; 'Policies' if interventions for improving or boost electric mobility are explicitly considered, such as intelligent management of recharging, variable prices, incentive policies.
Table 1.
Summary of the investigation based on survey (SP: stated preferences; RP: revealed preferences; TS: travel survey; Web: social media or web sites).
Table 1.
Summary of the investigation based on survey (SP: stated preferences; RP: revealed preferences; TS: travel survey; Web: social media or web sites).
Source |
SurveySource |
Sample Size |
Year2 |
Country |
Users Behavior |
Infrastructures |
Policies |
Keypoints |
Y. Zhang et al. [11] |
SP |
494 respondents |
2021 |
China |
|
|
|
Relationship between travel chain and charging choices |
Philipsen et al. [13] |
SP |
252 respondents |
2015 |
Germany |
|
|
|
Acceptance & optimal location of fast charging. |
Pareschi et al. [28] |
TS |
59,090 inhabitants |
2015 |
Switzerland |
|
|
|
Validation of charge profiles derived from mobility questionnaires |
Iqbal et al. [29] |
TS |
Over 30,000 households |
2016 |
Finland |
|
|
|
Classification of EV daily use and charging behavior based on SOC |
Gao et al. [30] |
TS |
1,156 households |
2021 |
China |
|
|
|
Demand dominated by charging in the residential area and workplace |
Thingvad et al. [31] |
TS |
56,328 households |
2014-2019 |
Denmark |
|
|
|
Evaluation of energy demand @ public & private CP |
X. Liu et al. [32] |
RP |
141 prespondents |
2021 |
China |
|
|
|
Use of charging facilities at the workplace in different urban contexts |
Crozier et al. [33] |
TS + charging data |
2 milions trips + charging data of 213 Nissan Leaf |
2016 |
UK |
|
|
|
Impact of the variability of travel and charging behavior on overall demand |
Pagany et al. [34] |
TS |
Over 5000 households |
2012-2013 |
Germany |
|
|
|
Optimal CPs location based on EV drivers' route choice and charging preferences |
Bollerslev et al. [35] |
TS + charging data |
160,000 travel surveys + 10,000 Nissan Leaf charging events |
2012; 2015-2016 |
Denmark, Japan |
|
|
|
Coincidence factor of EV charging given driving and plug-in behaviors |
Calearo et al. [36] |
TS + charging data |
160,000 travel surveys + 7,163 Nissan LEAFs charging events |
2012; 2015-2016 |
Denmark, USAJapan |
|
|
|
Quantify the load impact of domestic charges on distribution grid feeders |
Y. Yang et al. [37] |
SP |
237 respondents |
2014 |
China |
|
|
|
Investigate the mobility and charging choices of EV drivers |
Ashkrof et al. [38] |
SP |
505 respondents |
2020 |
Netherlands |
|
|
|
Explore BEVs drivers route choice and charging preferences |
Moon et al. [39] |
SP |
418 respondents |
2016 |
Korea |
|
|
|
Estimate EV expansion scenarios and their electricity demands |
Jabeen et al. [40] |
SP |
54 respondents |
2012 |
Australia |
|
|
|
Prevalence of home and workplace charging from charging habit analysis |
Daina et al. [41] |
SP |
88 respondents |
2012 |
UK |
|
|
|
Evaluation of the marginal utility of the recharged energy, of the time and of the cost of the recharge |
EPRI [42] |
TS |
4,000 PEV owners |
2016 |
USA |
|
|
|
Analysis of the private charging and plug-in electric car market |
Anderson et al. [43] |
SP |
Around 4,000 EV users |
2020 |
Germany |
|
|
|
Analysis of charging behavior and EV preferences |
Plenter et al. [44] |
SP |
435 respondents |
2014 |
Germany |
|
|
|
WTP vs power and location of the charging station |
Dorcec et al. [45] |
SP |
101 respondents |
2019 |
Croazia |
|
|
|
WTP for different charging options |
Nienhueser & Qiu [46] |
SP |
181 respondents |
2016 |
USA |
|
|
|
WTP for charging with renewable energy |
Lagomarsino et al. [47] |
SP |
222 respondents |
2020 |
Switzerland |
|
|
|
EV smart charging preferences and strategies |
Bailey & Axsen, [48] |
SP |
1640 respondents |
2015 |
Canada |
|
|
|
Acceptance of energy supplier-controlled charges. |
Delmonte et al. [49] |
SP |
60 respondents |
2020 |
UK |
|
|
|
Acceptance of two types of controlled charges: by user or by network operator |
M. Xu et al. [52] |
RP |
500 respondents |
2017 |
Japan |
|
|
|
Factors that influence the choice of location and charging method |
Wen et al. [53] |
SP |
315 respondents |
20163 |
USA |
|
|
|
Identification of three categories of prevalent charging behaviors |
Y.-Y. Wang et al. [54] |
Web |
59,067 pieces of consumer discussion data |
2011-2020 |
China |
|
|
|
Natural language processing technology to explore consumer preferences for charging infrastructure |
Globisch et al. [55] |
SP |
1030 Ev drivers |
2018 |
Germany |
|
|
|
Factors that influence the attractiveness of public charging infrastructure. |
Fischer et al. [56] |
TS |
40.000 households |
2008-2009 |
Germany |
|
|
|
EV load impact and management strategies at different parking locations |
J. Zhang et al. [57] |
TS |
Not specified |
202009 |
USA |
|
|
|
EV charging load simulations considering user demographics |
Latinopoulos et al. [58] |
SP |
118 respondents |
2017 |
UK, Ireland |
|
|
|
Understand the factors influencing the demand for EV charging on the go |
Y. Chen & Lin [59] |
SP |
1907 respondents |
2019 |
China |
|
|
|
Factors influencing consumer satisfaction with charging infrastructure |
Y. Zhang, Luo, Wang, et al. [60] |
RP+ SP |
494 respondents |
2021 |
China |
|
|
|
Relationship between travel chain and charging choices |
Asensio et al. [61] |
Web |
127,257 reviews |
2011-2015 |
USA |
|
|
|
Evaluation of the degree of satisfaction of the charging stations |
Y. Wang et al. [62] |
SP |
300 respondents |
2021 |
China |
|
|
|
Analyze the influence of previous users’ satisfaction with charging facilities and risk attitude of drivers |
Nicholas et al. [63] |
RP + EV log data + GPS |
About 1400 respondents + GPS & log data of 72 PEV households for a full year |
2015-2018 |
California |
|
|
|
Impact of battery size, range, driving, and charging behavior on PEV energy consumption. |
Lee et al., [64] |
RP |
7,979 EV users (completed survey 15%) |
2016-2017 |
California |
|
|
|
Differences in charging behavior among different types of PEV owners |
Franke & Krems [65,66] |
SP+RP |
79 EV users |
2013 |
Germany |
|
|
|
Understanding of the psychological dynamics underlying charging behaviour |
Philipsen et al. [67] |
SP |
204 respondents |
2018 |
Germany |
|
|
|
Investigating range stress among ICE and EV users. |
Yuan et al. [68] |
RP |
208 BEV drivers |
2018 |
China |
|
|
|
Range anxiety effect on driver’s emotions and behaviors |
Pan et al. [69] |
SP |
160 EV drivers |
2018 |
China |
|
|
|
EV drivers charging choice models incorporating risk attitude and different decision strategies |
Hardinghaus et al. [70] |
RP |
377 respondents |
2021 |
Germany |
|
|
|
Pilot experiment on dedicated neighborhood charging |
Budnitz et al. [71] |
SP |
2001 respondents |
May- June 2020 |
UK |
|
|
|
Use natural language processing technology to explore consumer preferences for charging infrastructure |
Dixon et al. [72] |
TS |
39,000 travel diaries |
2012–2016 |
UK |
|
|
|
Inconvenience of the duration of the EV charge |
Wolbertus & Gerzon, 2018 [73] |
SP |
119 respondents |
2018 |
Netherlands |
|
|
|
Effectiveness of a parking fee at the end of the charge |
Latinopoulos et al. [74] |
SP |
118 respondents |
2017 |
UK |
|
|
|
Response of EV drivers to dynamic charging service pricing. |
Number of articles for thematic area |
|
|
|
|
39 |
18 |
11 |
|
2.2.2. Mobility and Charging Behavior Data
Mobility data is a valid source for extracting travel and transport habits in each area. The quantity and quality of information can vary greatly depending on the methods used to collect and record data. Mobility data can be combined with recordings of the charging events and information from the EV on-board instrumentation to provide a more comprehensive picture of the charging behaviors [
25]. Mobility data can identify the points of greatest attraction and the spatiotemporal distribution of travels. In some cases, they can refer to ICE vehicles and are translated to electric mobility with the hypothesis that journeys, especially in urban areas, do not change radically with the transition from one type of powertrain to another [
75].
EV charging preferences are the subject of various studies based on mobility and EV data. They usually concentrate on initial and final SOC during charges, frequency of charges with respect to distances travelled, or number and nature of stops.
Some work referred to an initial phase of EV diffusion. The prevalent use of charging at home and work emerges in two studies [
76,
77]. Both studies show that the start charging SOC is, on average, above 50%. Using static and dynamic data regarding EV and CP in over 10 European countries, [
78] found four main patterns of behavior, characterized by different temporal distributions of trips and charges, depending on the type of EV and the location of the CPs.
Mobile telephony data integrated with census data, a survey on PEV drivers, and measurements at the CPs have made it possible to build a high-definition space-time mobility model [
79], which detects how the charging behaviors follow the traffic trend, suggesting the absence of a charging strategy. Furthermore, considering the SOC, the consumption, the charge time, and the distance between successive charges, it emerges that EV users charge more frequently than necessary [
80]. This result is confirmed by J. Yang et al., [
81]: analyzing driving and recharging behaviors, they find that the distances between consecutive recharges are in general shorter than the average daily distances, indicating a tendency to charge whenever there are convenient opportunities, regardless of the remaining range. This behavior is comparable with what obtained in [
82], and with the results in [
83] that highlights a high daily number of opportunity charges. The risk analysis of the interval times between recharging events shows that both vehicle attributes, such as state of charge, distance traveled, average driving speed, and individual characteristics (range anxiety, age, and purpose of travel) significantly influence the instantaneous rate of occurrence of charging events [
84].
The vehicle usage also influences the charging behavior, with commercial EVs charging after a trip more often than private ones, with a tendency for private BEVs to synchronize charging with the cheapest electricity rates [
85]. Regarding fast charging, users generally prefer stations that require a shorter detour and are greatly influenced in their choice by the residual SOC [
86].
Different approaches have tried to classify private charge behaviors applying statistical analysis techniques [
87,
88], clustering [
89,
90], or data mining [
91], substantially confirming the prevalence of slow night charging on weekdays. Using aggregate analysis of charging demand one can gain insights into the charging behavior of different types of users [
92]. For example, [
93] find that the probability of using public charging in a given area is proportional to the average number of cars per household, and inversely proportional to the percentage of private homes in the residential area considered. Powell et al. [
94,
95] provide a model for estimating the aggregated charging profile of different driver groups whose charging behaviors are clusters derived from a large data set on workplace, public and residential charging.
Charging choices are obviously also influenced by charge costs [
26,
96,
97], or the possibility of using the free parking [
98], which can be used to influence charging preferences [
99].