Harvard Survey of EVA Members
In the fall of 2023 the Electric Vehicle Association (EVA) Board of Directors started working with Harvard’s Salata Institute for Climate and Sustainability. The research Harvard was conducting involved how the DCFC network impacts EV adoption and whether reliable data about whether highway chargers are working would accelerate EV sales.
Key to that research was a survey the Harvard team had developed that would learn how (and if) experienced EV drivers would react to various DCFC scenarios while on a road trip in their home region. The Harvard team needed a reliable source of experienced EV drivers who, as a group, possessed a high likelihood to thoughtfully complete a survey about highway charging.
That’s when the Harvard team turned to the EVA. EVA leadership knew that its members possessed all attributes the Harvard team was looking for: experience with and interest in the charging landscape, making them willing to provide quality answers to a detailed survey. The academic paper the Harvard team submitted to the National Bureau of Economic Research is located here. It’s a bit nerdy, so we’ve summarized it and also had the Harvard team concur with our summary. You know, because we aren’t quite as nerdy as they are.
Key takeaways include:
Spending on charging infrastructure is more impactful than spending on direct EV subsidies.
The importance of spending on public EV charging infrastructure indicates not only that more fast chargers would accelerate EV sales, but that it’s critical for drivers to have reliable information about DCFC stations so they can route to working and available chargers.
The current state of real-time information on charger availability is poor.
Providing real-time data on the status of highway-adjacent DC-fast chargers is a key step towards instilling charging confidence in consumers.
Real-time data may lead to higher charger uptime and increased consumer confidence.
The paper also provides insight into how real-time data should influence policy decisions for DCFC networks as a whole.
The Harvard team also sends its gratitude for the support the EVA members showed to complete the survey. Similarly, EVA’s leadership is proud of the role its members were able to play into this important work.