Examining the correlation of household electric vehicle ownership: Insights for emerging mobility and planning

While there is a global shift to electric vehicles (EVs), few studies have comprehensively quantified the relative contribution of individuals' demographic characteristics, alternative transportation choices, and built environment (BE) attributes to EV ownership. Applying extreme gradient boosting decision trees to the 2020 regional household travel data in Wuhan, this study estimate the respective effects of these factors on EV ownership. The results emphasize the contribution of the BE and alternative travel options in predicting EV ownership and reveal a nonlinear relationship between variables. The distance to the city center, density and charging station facilities are identified as key factors influencing EV ownership. The study revealed a positive correlation between household ownership of conventional cars and EVs, indicating a tendency for households possessing conventional cars to acquire extra EVs, thereby transitioning into multi-car households. The findings also suggest that, in addition to the emissions reduction benefits, planners should be concerned about the potential urban issues that may result from vehicle electrification. The study provides empirical evidence for urban planners to inform policy interventions aimed at guiding the sustainable development of emerging mobility modes.