Pricing Plug-in Electric Vehicle Recharging in Multi-unit Dwellings: Financial Viability and Fueling Costs

Abstract

This research explores whether pricing structures and levels likely to provide electric vehicle drivers with financial motivation to recharge at multi-unit dwellings might provide sufficient opportunity for station cost recovery. Compared to a popular 50 mpg gasoline hybrid baseline, residential charging prices might have to be kept below $0.26/kWh, $1.00/h of charging, or $85/month—levels that only support roughly $1,000–2,000 in facility investment per vehicle served. Increasing facility utilization while minimizing per-vehicle costs is key to improving financial viability and, across pricing structures, could more than double the cost recovery potential. Further, site hosts’ choice of pricing structure will differentially affect their ability to remain financially viable in the face of input-parameter uncertainty.