Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

Charge station locator apps help ease concerns about electric vehicle (EV) range anxiety and increase confidence in the public charging infrastructure. These technologies provide real-time information about EV charging costs and locations on demand. However, the effects of real-time information on charging behavior are as yet poorly understood. In this study, I use real-time charging transactions data from mobile apps to investigate the effects of price policies on EV charging behavior and mobility. In some states such as California, Florida or New York, for example, prices for EV charging may be set by station owners based on kilowatt-hour rates to reflect marginal costs; whereas in other states such as Georgia, Texas or Massachusetts, prices may be set by station owners based on charge times to reflect average costs. I conduct a field experiment using quasi-randomized block designs to quantify the effects of pricing decisions by individual EV networks and station owners. I examine large-scale social data in the public charging infrastructure to evaluate behavior when the price to charge is free compared to competing price schemes.