Electric vehicle rental and electric vehicle adoption

Abstract

This case study describes the project Elbilsiandet (The Electric Vehicle Country) in Gotland, Sweden, where the island Gotland is made "ready for electric vehicles" by providing a network of charging infrastructure and electric vehicle rental during several summer seasons. The influence of the electric vehicle (EV) rental scheme on the process towards electric vehicle adoption is investigated using the Protection Motivation Theory (PMT) and the Transtheoretical Model of Change (TTM). Moreover, the travel patterns of electric rental cars are compared with those of conventional rental cars. The main results of this study are the following: Firstly, people renting an EV are on average closer to electric vehicle adoption than people renting a conventional vehicle. Secondly, people who rent an EV are at the time of rental associated with more positive attitudes towards EVs, have more knowledge about EVs and would feel more secure driving an EV. Thirdly, EV-rental does not seem to have a large additional effect on the stage-of-change towards EV-adoption of the participants. Lastly, the driving patterns of EVs do not seem to indicate serious limitations regarding driving distance, parking time and the destinations that have been visited, as compared to the driving patterns of conventional rental cars.