Public preferences for battery electric vehicle policies considering energy mix: A US choice experiment study

Abstract

Public acceptance is vital for the widespread adoption of clean energy and battery electric vehicles (BEVs). This study investigates the attitudes of 1500 U.S. residents towards BEVs and the energy sources powering them, using a large national survey dataset. Through an online discrete choice experiment, we assess willingness to pay (WTP) for clean energy as a BEV attribute and explore attitudes towards various BEV policy incentives, job impacts, and electricity cost changes. Using hybrid and non-hybrid mixed logit models in WTP-space, we find that U.S. taxpayers have a positive WTP for increasing BEV adoption in the transportation system, with an average WTP of $1.17 for a 1 % BEV increase. Respondents are also willing to pay $13 per month to replace 15 % of nuclear power in the electric grid with renewable sources like solar, wind, and hydropower. Moreover, they support job creation associated with accelerated vehicle decarbonization and prefer tax credits as incentives over free charging and parking initiatives, showing dissatisfaction with the current transportation plan. Our findings indicate that support for BEVs and clean energy policies varies based on spatial and individual differences. Urban residents, environmentally conscious individuals, males, younger people, those with higher incomes and education levels, and Democratic party affiliates show greater support for BEVs and clean energy policies. Furthermore, clean technology owners are more favorable towards clean transportation policies, and exposure to charging stations enhances support for BEV policies. We conclude that a one-size-fits-all energy policy may not effectively address the diverse preferences of the public. Policymakers should consider tailored approaches that reflect the heterogeneous nature of consumer attitudes towards clean energy and BEVs.