Title: Consumer attitudes towards battery electric vehicles: a large-scale survey

Authors: Kenneth Lebeau; Joeri Van Mierlo; Philippe Lebeau; Olivier Mairesse; Cathy Macharis

Addresses: Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Information Systems (MOSI) – Transport & Logistics, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium ' Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Electrical Engineering (ETEC), Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium ' Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Information Systems (MOSI) – Transport & Logistics, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium ' Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Information Systems (MOSI) – Transport & Logistics, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium ' Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Department of Mathematics, Operational Research, Statistics and Information Systems (MOSI) – Transport & Logistics, Pleinlaan 2, 1050, Brussels, Belgium

Abstract: Nowadays, Electric Vehicles (EVs) receive a lot of attention. However, their market breakthrough is not straightforward. This paper presents the results of a large-scale data collection (survey with 1196 respondents) held in Flanders (Belgium). The results include perceptions on the advantages and disadvantages of Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), the acceptable driving range, the acceptable charging time (both slow and fast), the acceptable maximum speed, the role of the government in the introduction of BEVs, the preferred governmental tools to maximise sales and the consumers' Willingness to Pay (WTP). A second survey was held in order to investigate the impact of the level of knowledge of the consumers. The results of this second survey (n = 585) illustrate that knowledge has no impact on the level of acceptance for the driving range. However, consumers with more knowledge want a car with a higher maximum speed and desire faster charging durations (both slow and fast).

Keywords: BEVs; battery electric vehicles; PHEVs; plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; new technologies; technology introduction; market potential; introduction barriers; Belgium; driving range; acceptable charging time; battery charging; acceptable maximum speed; government role; willingness to pay; WTP.

DOI: 10.1504/IJEHV.2013.053466

International Journal of Electric and Hybrid Vehicles, 2013 Vol.5 No.1, pp.28 - 41

Received: 08 Dec 2012
Accepted: 19 Feb 2013
Published online: 13 Jun 2013 *

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