User Perceptions of Evs and the Role of Evs in the Transition to Low-Carbon Mobility
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User perceptions of EVs and the role of EVs in the transition to low-carbon mobility Lina Ingeborgrud Department of interdisciplinary studies of culture Norwegian University of Science and Technology Dragvoll N-7491 Trondheim Norway [email protected] Marianne Ryghaug Department of interdisciplinary studies of culture Norwegian University of Science and Technology Dragvoll N-7491 Trondheim Norway [email protected] Keywords electric vehicles, user behaviour, policies and measures, prac- important for Norway’s successful introduction of the technol- tices, EV user perceptions ogy, in addition to symbolic aspects related to EVs, such as feeling more environmentally friendly. Hence, we argue that the combination of strong economic incentives, environmental Abstract awareness and a comfortable driving experience fostered the Transport play a central role to reach global greenhouse gas successful introduction of the electric car. emission targets. Reducing emissions from privately owned cars is of high priority, and the sustainable transition of road transport by electrification is one strategy launched to meet this Introduction end. Norway has been a forerunner when it comes to this and The car has become an essential part of our transportation sys- is today the country with the highest proportion of privately tem, and individual car-based transport dominates in terms of owned electric vehicles in Europe. Summarizing and publish- satisfying mobility transportation needs. Cars are also embed- ing Norwegian experiences with electric mobility will there- ded in social and cultural practices, meaning that apart from fore be useful for those working with transport electrification providing the possibility to travel almost anywhere, anytime, it in other countries. is also a symbol of freedom since it signals social status and ex- In this paper, we study user perceptions of different models presses one’s identity (Hoogma et al., 2002). The first EV mod- of EVs. The paper focuses on how different models of EVs have els appeared as early as late nineteenth century (Hoogma et al., been domesticated into Norwegian households. The impor- 2002) and there have been many waves of interest in developing tance of the incentives and policies related to the adoption of and testing electrically powered personal vehicles since. None- EVs are particularly highlighted and discussed in relation to theless, the gasoline vehicle became, and has thus far remained, other perceived properties related to EV driving, such as com- the dominant technology. But during the last years, EVs have fort and environmental concerns. The paper is based on quali- begun to challenge the market for petrol cars. One of the few tative interviews with different segments of EV drivers from places where this has happened is Norway – a country where 2013–2015, as well as a quantitative analysis of 3,654 EV drivers transport is mostly by road and mostly by car. in Norway from 2016. The year 2016 was listed as having the third highest sale of The paper aims to strengthen the understanding of individu- cars in Norwegian history with 154,603 new private cars reg- als’ perceptions of EV policies and the possible consequences istered (2.6 % more than the year before), a record only beaten for policy makers. Also, it seeks to investigate how changing by the years 1986 and 1985 (Bilsalget i 2016, n.d.). Moreover, patterns of acting at the individual level may create normal- 35 % of all EVs sold in Western Europe in 2014 were sold in ity and reconfigure the architecture of choice for others. The Norway, and about 15 % to 25 % of all new cars sold in Nor- study shows that economic and technical aspects of EVs were way the last years have been electric. Thus, Norway has taken ECEEE SUMMER STUDY PROCEEDINGS 893 4-325-17 INGEBORGRUD, RYGHAUG 4. MOBILITY, TRANSPORT, AND SMART AND SUSTAINABLE CITIES a lead role in the introduction of electric cars, acting as a kind have been widely discussed by national policy makers and by of laboratory for experiments in developing a market for EVs. the public. In December 2016, Norway reached 100,000 BEVs, Analyzing and discussing Norwegian experiences with regard several years earlier than expected. Thus, the incentives will be to electric mobility will therefore be useful for those working revised and adjusted in parallel with the market development with electrification in other countries. However, when trying to in the years to come. The tax incentives are however promised learn from these Norwegian experiences, we have to take into until 2018, at which point they will be revised. Local govern- consideration some rather peculiar properties of Norway as an ments have become responsible to decide on incentives, such energy nation. as access to bus lanes and free municipal parking, and some Norway has a unique position when it comes to energy pro- municipalities have already removed these benefits. Further, duction, as 99 % of the electricity generated comes from hydro free toll roads will probably be replaced with a new system power (Vannkraft, n.d.) which means that electricity is consid- with differentiated prices depending on CO2 and NOx emis- ered CO2-emission free in Norway. Electricity is also relatively sions (Norsk elbilforening, n.d.). The Norwegian Parliament cheap in Norway. Not all countries have an equally beneficiary have decided on a goal that all new cars sold by 2025 should environment for electrification of the transport sector, although be either zero emission (electric or hydrogen) or low emission there is an ongoing shift towards renewable energy sources. (plug-in hybrids). Apart from regulatory and economic incentives, the success- E-MOBILITY IN NORWAY: GOALS, INCENTIVES AND EXPERIENCES ful introduction of electric vehicles is often seen in relation to There is a political drive for greenhouse gas reductions in the the technological progress of electric cars, in particular battery transport sector in Norway, and a comprehensive package of technology. The aim of this paper is to highlight a user-oriented local and economic incentives, as well as the establishment of perspective, since real users often have been neglected in re- Transnova – now merged with Enova, a body giving financial search processes of technological innovation, policy develop- support to charging facilities – have been identified as main ment and policy implementation (Shove and Walker, 2007). As reasons for the rapid expansion of EVs in Norway (Figenbaum we aim to explore the interplay between technology, policies and Kolbeinstvedt, 2013; Ryghaug and Toftaker, 2014). Thus, and user preferences regarding the introduction of electric cars the development of the EV market in Norway has been strongly in Norway, the paper demonstrates the way techno-economic promoted by central government. factors are co-constructed with user-practices. Thus, we em- Incentives to promote electromobility in Norway are ex- ploy a socio-technical perspective to analyze the introduction emptions from tax on purchase, vehicle registration, and value of electric vehicles in Norway. added tax (VAT). Further, electric cars are afforded exemption from road tolls and tunnel-use charges, reduced fares on na- PREVIOUS RESEARCH AND THEORETICAL PERSPECTIVES ON EV tional road ferries, the freedom to use bus lanes, free public DEPLOYMENT parking (with or without free charging), and a dispersed net- Previous studies about EV usage have focused on various as- work of charging stations. The import of petrol cars is heav- pects of adoption and non-adoption behavior (Rezvani et al., ily controlled in Norway through strict import regimes and 2015), but it is important to enhance our understanding of purchase taxes, and as electric cars are not susceptible to the both actual EV users as well as non-users. Non-users have same tax regimes, they become financially viable alternatives been known to have different perceptions, particularly of bar- for many Norwegian households. Although it depends on the riers related to driving electric vehicles. For instance, a study model, in practice an EV will cost about the same as a petrol of both EV users and petrol car drivers revealed that petrol car in the same class (i.e. the electric version of a VW Golf costs drivers assumed it would be a lot more demanding to drive almost the same when bought new as its petrol counterpart, electric cars compared to driving petrol cars (Ingeborgrud, benefiting from tax redemptions from 7,000 to 8,000 euros1). 2014). Ingeborgrud (2014) showed that driving range was Another important factor is that operational cost of EVs is also brought up as the greatest barrier to buy an electric car by relatively low compared to petrol cars, due to effective engines petrol car drivers, as this included planning when and where running on cheap electricity produced from hydropower in to charge the car. This made non-adopters envisioning electric Norway. The total savings of driving electric will also depend car driving practices as something of a puzzle to figure out in on a variety of factors such as driving style, use of toll roads, everyday life (Ingeborgrud, 2014). EV drivers, however, did ferries, etc., but the fuel costs (electricity) are about one-fourth not perceive range limitations to be as significant as petrol to one-fifth of the cost for petrol. For instance, driving a Nissan car drivers envisioned (Ingeborgrud, 2014). Such non-user Leaf costs about 2,800 euros less per year than a comparable understandings of EVs are interesting to compare with the petrol car, considering an annual mileage of 15,000 kilometres experiences of actual EV users. over five years. Many scholars have pointed out that cars do not only sat- In a White Paper of 2012, the Norwegian government stat- isfy consumers’ practical needs for mobility, but they also have ed that the comprehensive package of electric car incentives symbolic meanings and are identity markers expressing who would be continued either until 2017 or until the number of people are (e.g.