Connections can make a difference: Understanding EV owners’ motivations for agreeing to share their HCSs in megacities through a mixed methods approach study

Abstract

Understanding the factors that drive home charging station (HCS) owners’ intentions to share is crucial for promoting broader HCS sharing adoption in megacities. This study uses a mixed-methods approach, starting with qualitative in-depth interviews to identify key factors and establish a preliminary hypotheses framework. A quantitative survey, combined with Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), is then employed to test these hypotheses across different sharing groups: neighbors, virtual community members, and strangers. The findings reveal that HCS owners are more likely to hesitate to share with strangers due to concerns about disruptions created by outsiders, which underscores the fact that a connection between HCS owners and users, either in physical or virtual context, can boost sharing intentions. Establishing a connection between HCS owners and the potential users can increase residents’ sense of belonging and enhance their motivation to help (MH), which was found to directly influence HCS owners’ willingness to share with neighbors, while its impact on HCS owners’ sharing intention within virtual communities is indirect, moderated by the necessity to utilize idle resources (NU). Perceived economic benefits (PE) indirectly affect HCS owners’ sharing intention through the mediation of MH, highlighting the complex interplay between altruism and economic motivations. These insights offer actionable recommendations for policymakers aiming to increase HCS sharing rates.