Financial and symbolic incentives promote 'green' charging choices

TL;DR

This study examines how financial and symbolic incentives influence electric vehicle charging behavior, finding both effective in promoting greener choices without significant difference between them.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence on the effectiveness of monetary and symbolic incentives in encouraging eco-friendly EV charging behaviors.

Findings

Both incentives increase green charging choices

No significant difference between monetary and symbolic incentives

Incentives effectively offset time penalties for charging

Abstract

Electromobility can contribute to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions if usage behavior is aligned with the increasing availability of renewable energy. To achieve this, smart navigation systems can be used to inform drivers of optimal charging times and locations. Yet, required flexibility may impart time penalties. We investigate the impact of financial and symbolic incentive schemes to counteract these additional costs. In a laboratory experiment with real-life time costs, we find that monetary and symbolic incentives are both effective in changing behavior towards 'greener' charging choices, while we find no significant statistical difference between them.