Improving electric vehicle charging station efficiency through pricing

Recent studies show that charging stations are operated in an inefficient way. Due to the fact that electric vehicle (EV) drivers charge while they park, they tend to keep the charging station occupied while not charging. This prevents others from having access. This study is the first to investigate the effect of a pricing strategy to increase the efficient use of electric vehicle charging stations. We used a stated preference survey among EV drivers to investigate the effect of a time-based fee to reduce idle time at a charging station. We tested the effect of such a fee under different scenarios and we modelled the heterogeneity among respondents using a latent class discrete choice model. We find that a fee can be very effective in increasing the efficiency at a charging station but the response to the fee varies among EV drivers depending on their current behaviour and the level of parking pressure they experience near their home. From these findings we draw implications for policy makers and charging point operators who aim to optimize the use of electric vehicle charging stations.