Daily use of an electric vehicle: Behavioural changes and potential for ITS support

Abstract

In order to reduce CO2 emissions, the electric vehicle (EV) represents today an alternative to traditionally fuelled vehicles. However, this new eco-friendly mode of transport involves different kinds of constraints to use that are likely to affect mobility. To assess driver acceptability of EVs and to study the impact of electric technology on the mobility behaviours of drivers, the MINI E France project was undertaken by IFSTTAR and carried out in cooperation with the vehicle manufacturer Bavarian Motor Works Germany. Fifty 'private users' from Paris drove for 6 months an electric MINI E. This paper presents and describes the mobility, charging and driving behaviours reported by EV users. In particular, the paper focuses on how users organise themselves to deal with the limited range of the EV, what changes are induced in their mobility and what are their requirements in terms of intelligent transport system functions relevant for e-mobility. © The Institution of Engineering and Technology 2013.