Poor Reliability of Public Charging Stations Can Impede the Growth of the Electric Vehicle Market

How does the reliability of public charging infrastructure affect electric vehicle (EV) adoption? Substantial public and private investments are expanding EV charging networks, but concerns are growing about the poor reliability of existing chargers and its potential impacts on EV adoption. Using data from a nationwide survey, we employ a choice model to quantify the effects of perceived charging reliability on Americans’ intentions to purchase new or used EVs. By randomly assigning participants to receive information characterizing public charging as either very reliable or very unreliable, we show a causal effect of reliability perceptions on EV purchase intentions. We find that differences in perceived reliability are equivalent to changing price by 32 % of purchasing budget or changing range by 366 miles, underscoring the importance of reliable public charging.