From interest to evangelist: Accelerating the adoption of electric vehicles via distinct parking and charging practices in the United Kingdom

Abstract

The adoption of battery-electric, plug-in vehicles (EVs) requires drivers to make changes to their daily routines, not least to accommodate charging instead of refuelling. Studies show that most early adopters charge their vehicles when they are parked at or near home or the workplace, but there is little consideration of how these parking and charging practices might differ from parking without charging. The social context of parking and charging and its relevance to EV adoption has also been widely overlooked in the literature. This study uses concepts from theories of social practice and semi-structured interview techniques to analyse the routine actions of parking and charging, how these practices emerge and evolve as distinct from previous parking practices, and their implications for EV adoption. Findings highlight how the more distinct the materials, skills, meanings, and configuration of parking and charging practices are from previous parking practices, the more likely that EV owners show evangelist tendencies to recruit others to EV adoption. Such positive social interactions help overcome concerns about public charging and the skills needed to adopt an EV. The study also found that EV owners with private driveways take longer to develop distinct practices than those who park and charge in public, suggesting the importance of spatial and social context to the development of EV evangelism. The implications are that local policies should support social interaction and the development of new skills and meanings, as well as infrastructure, to accelerate EV adoption.