Anya Robinson | UC Davis

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Presentation Description

Under the Advanced Clean Cars II rule, California must move to 100% zero emission vehicle (ZEV) sales by 2035. To make this transition equitable, it is important to understand how we can support ZEV adoption in all communities – including rural communities. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences and perceptions of current rural plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) owners, identify barriers to charging and ownership, and suggest factors to guide the development of infrastructure in rural areas. This study conducted semi-structured interviews with rural PEV owners and asked questions related to travel behavior, at-home and public charging experiences, and motivation for household vehicle purchases. Major themes were extracted from the interviews including that plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) owners tend to have minimal at-home and public charging requirements, while battery electric vehicle (BEV) owners require access to Level 2 charging at home and reliable fast charging in public spaces. Additionally, the magnitude of public charging reliability and availability issues appear to be greater in rural areas when compared to urban settings. Issues that were unique to rural areas were also discussed including grid reliability during natural disasters, and specific vehicle requirements for rural weather and terrain. The findings of this report aim to inform policy makers, car manufacturers, and charging companies to better serve rural communities in the transition new ZEV technologies.

Speaker Biography

Anya Robinson is a second year PhD student in the Transportation Technology and Policy program at UC Davis. She undertakes research at the Institute for Transportation Studies in the Electric Vehicle Research Center. Anya is interested in understanding the role of policy in promoting equitable zero emissions technology adoption. Anya holds a BSc and an MSc in Environmental Management and GIS from the University of Western Australia.

Co-presenters

Scott Hardman
UC Davis

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