Behavioral Patterns Impacting EV Charging Habits

Happy to share our paper on an empirical investigation of the behavioral mechanisms driving EV charging decisions, using trajectory data from nearly 20,000 BEV users. I still remember the day we started this research 3 years ago, spending days and nights at the Shanghai Electric Vehicle Data Center with Jieru and Xinyuan to process the raw data (Good old days when you still needed to write your own code). The goal of the study is to explore how EV charging mobility dynamics differ (or not) from our existing understanding of general mobility dynamics, which is known to exhibit strong regularities. From there, we want to see if we can model charging decisions at scale with parsimonious models. We presented a comprehensive discussion of our findings in the paper, and just to highlight a few: - Charging does not create a separate mobility logic. It reuses and intensifies our existing routine logic. Daily parking routines first narrow the feasible choice set, and charging then applies an even stronger preferential-return mechanism within that already habitual space. I believe charging is a second-order habit. - It is not surprising that charging distance looks highly heterogeneous across EV users. But the heterogeneity becomes highly predictable once distance is measured relative to each user’s own characteristic mobility radius. In other words, EV users share a common scaling rule tied to their habitual activity space. - Building on the classic exploration-and-preferential-return model, we developed a charging-specific model showing that EV charging location choice can be explained surprisingly well by a simple behavioral mechanism: limited exploration, strong preferential return, user-specific mobility range, and location attractiveness (details in paper). We hope this study provides valuable insights for our future modeling of EV users and infrastructure decisions, and for broader communities curious about how EVs may change our cities. Link to the paper (free access): https://lnkd.in/gPau5U9b

Still think battery health doesn't matter for EVs' valuation? Think again 😄 Tesla Model 3s are among the oldest and most common EVs on the market. And you can easily find high-mileage cars in the 6-8 year-old span. These two Long Range AWD examples, both tested by our customers in Utah, aren't particularly high mileage (~105k miles). On paper, they look almost the same. Similar age, similar miles. But when I looked at the numbers from the two reports, I couldn't help but notice a wild difference. • 2020 Model 3: 105,945 miles, 84% state of health • 2019 Model 3: 104,249 miles, 73% state of health Both have the same 77.8 kWh battery pack. The 11% state of health difference translates to roughly 8.5 kWh of usable capacity. That means more than 40 miles of real-world range. Going into the details of the report, it's worth highlighting one big difference in the charging patterns. The 84% SOH vehicle was fast charged only 17% of the time, while the 73% SOH vehicle was fast charged 79% of the time. This doesn't mean fast charging is "bad" or should be avoided. We've already seen plenty of heavily fast-charged vehicles maintaining excellent battery health. But this is a clear example where charging patterns combined with other factors (climate exposure, depth of discharge, charging frequently to 100%) created measurably different outcomes. Also, the vehicle showing 73% SOH is not broken or malfunctioning. The battery pack didn't show any problematic cell imbalance (notable difference in the cell voltage readings), but it's simply more degraded in terms of overall capacity. An 11% battery health difference on identical vehicles represents real value. These cars shouldn't be priced the same. One has significantly more usable life remaining than the other. What do you think the difference should be?

🚨🚗⚡️How responsive are EV drivers to public charging prices? We now have large-scale nationwide experimental evidence. I'm excited to share our (Centre for Net Zero (Octopus Energy Group) new working paper: “The Impact of Dynamic Prices on Electric Vehicle Public Charging Demand: Evidence from a Nationwide Natural Field Experiment” In partnership with Octopus Electroverse, we ran a nationwide field experiment across the UK with over 110,000 EV drivers. We randomized public charging prices across 60% of UK public stations to reflect real-time marginal social costs of electricity. Key results: 1️⃣ A 40% price reduction led to a 117% increase in charging demand. 2️⃣ A smaller 15% price cut still moved behavior significantly: 30% increase. 3️⃣ We disentangle behavior: ~50% is substitution from other charging apps, but the other 50% is new, induced demand. 4️⃣ The result? Substantial consumer welfare gains from dynamic pricing for EV drivers. This work has real implications for grid flexibility, renewable integration, efficient infrastructure use, and policies for public EV charging. Paper link: https://lnkd.in/gG7eQ8tt Briefing note: https://lnkd.in/gFpuUe5G Huge thanks to my amazing co-authors, Louise Bernard, Andy Hackett, Luca Panzone, & Andrew Schein, and to our fantastic collaborators at Octopus Electroverse including Abigail Burrell-Rann, Ahmed Zada, Alice Hodges, Claudia Dahinten, Joseph Van der Wee, Jude Ward, Kori Noonan, Lucy Adams, Marcin Muszyński, Matt Davies, 🚗 Matthew Penny, Rachel Beaton, & Taichi Hobbs (Matsumoto). Please let us know what you think — feedback and thoughts very welcome!

Spent yesterday at our Ooty charging stations talking to customers. One observation really stood out. Several EV drivers were insisting on charging to 100% on DC fast chargers—even though they were already at the top of a mountain about to drive downhill. Here's the thing: Your car will regenerate significant charge on the way down. You're essentially wasting your time and blocking the charger for others who genuinely need it. Why charging to 100% on DC fast chargers rarely makes sense: 1. It's slow, DC charging speed drops dramatically after 80%. The last 20% can take as long as the first 80%. 2. It's unnecessary (usually) Most highway journeys need 60-80% charge. If you're headed downhill or to a city with chargers, you definitely don't need 100%. 3. It blocks others, Fast chargers are shared infrastructure. Occupying one for an extra 30-40 minutes for that last 20% means someone else is waiting. A simple principle: DC fast chargers = charge what you need to reach your next stop + buffer. Home/destination chargers = charge to 100% if you want. In situations like Ooty (hilltop locations): Charge to 70-80% max Let regenerative braking do the rest on the descent Save time, save the queue This isn't a rule—it's courtesy. As EV adoption grows and charger utilization increases, being mindful of others makes the ecosystem work better for everyone. Think of it like fuel station etiquette: you don't park at the pump after filling up. Same logic applies. At Zeon, we're building infrastructure. But infrastructure only works when we build community practices around it. Fellow EV drivers: charge smart, charge courteous. #EVCharging #ChargingEtiquette #ElectricVehicles #ZeonCharging #EVCommunity #Ooty

Most EV owners still misunderstand how battery cycle life actually works. And that misunderstanding leads to poor charging habits, faster degradation, and unnecessary battery stress. One of the biggest myths: “Every time you charge your EV, you lose one full battery cycle.” That is not how modern EV batteries work. EV batteries operate using Equivalent Full Cycles (EFC). Example: • Charging from 50% to 100% ≠ 1 full cycle • Charging from 20% to 70% ≠ 1 full cycle • Partial charging accumulates over time This is why smart charging habits matter more than most people realize. What actually impacts EV battery health? • Frequent DC fast charging • Deep discharging near 0% • High operating temperatures • Repeated charging to 100% • Poor thermal management • Battery chemistry differences (LFP vs NMC) Best practices used by experienced EV owners: • Keep daily charge between 20–80% when possible • Prefer AC charging for routine use • Reduce unnecessary fast charging • Follow OEM charging recommendations • Monitor temperature, not just SOC Battery degradation is usually caused by heat, stress, and charging behavior — not simply by plugging in the vehicle. The EV industry is moving fast, but battery education is still behind. Understanding how cycle life actually works can significantly improve battery longevity, efficiency, and long-term ownership cost. What charging habit do you think damages EV batteries the most? #EV #ElectricVehicle #Battery #BatteryTechnology #EVBattery #EnergyStorage #LFP #NMC #BMS #Charging #FastCharging #Engineering #Technology #Sustainability #ElectricCars

🏠⚡ Real-world smart meter data reveals how heat pumps, EVs, solar, and battery are reshaping electricity demand ⚡🏠 New analysis from Energy Systems Catapult's Living Lab shows how low-carbon technologies - solar, battery, EVs, and heat pumps - are fundamentally changing residential energy consumption patterns. Using smart meter data from hundreds of UK homes with different combinations of these technologies, my colleague Will Rowe uncovered the following patterns: 🚗 EVs: Demand shifting for time of use tariffs * Peak charging occurs between midnight-6am, showing consumers respond to time-of-use tariffs * Winter demand jumps 34% vs summer - critical for network planning during peak periods ♨️ Heat pumps: Flexible but weather-dependent * Two distinct daily peaks (3:30-6:30 and 12:30-15:30) indicate smart tariff optimisation * Summer consumption indicates ~75 litres hot water usage per household daily * Significant load-shifting capability suggests potential for demand response ☀️ Solar + batteries: Grid relief with seasonal patterns * Homes consistently show lower daily grid consumption across three seasons * Summer sees reduced overnight charging as solar-battery synergy maximises self-consumption * Clear evidence of energy arbitrage behaviour 🌆 The bigger picture:  Consumer behaviour demonstrates strong price responsiveness, but all technologies show pronounced seasonal variation. Winter represents the critical design case for network capacity planning. 🗞️ What this means:  As LCT adoption accelerates, understanding these real consumption patterns becomes essential for network reinforcement, generation planning, and designing future flexibility markets. Read the full analysis: https://lnkd.in/eDGhnjUm Want access to real-world energy data? The Living Lab's 5,000+ households are helping derisk clean energy innovation via sharing data and taking part in trials of new energy technologies. Contact our team via https://lnkd.in/ehQUnw2Y to discuss how we can help you. #EnergyTransition #HeatPumps #ElectricVehicles #SolarPower #NetZero #EnergyData #Decarbonisation

Electric Era, Paren and Transportation Energy Institute analyzed data on over 4,000 EV fast charging stations. What we found was both surprising and familiar. Usage accrues to the best locations. Analyzing a nationwide data set and looking at factors such as utilization, reliability, and nearby amenities we found some interesting conclusions. ⚡ Stations near grocery stores see 42 sessions per day. That's nearly 5× the national baseline. Not because grocery shoppers are more likely to drive EVs. Because a grocery run takes 25–40 minutes, and so does a fast charge. The dwell time match is almost perfect. ⚡ Stations near 11+ amenities see 7× the sessions of isolated ones. Drivers don't want to sit and wait. They want to do something. When there's somewhere to go with options, they come back. ⚡ And reliable stations see 6× the utilization of broken ones — even regardless of what's nearby. An unreliable charger doesn't just frustrate a driver. It gets removed from routing apps. It never gets retried. The location advantage vanishes completely. Reliability for the win! We've always believed that fast charging belongs where people already spend time. This report is the data behind that belief. If you're in retail, real estate, or building EV infrastructure, I think you'll find it useful. Link in the comments. #EVCharging #RetailStrategy #ElectricVehicles #EnergyInfrastructure #evdrivers

On a Friday before a three-day weekend, of course you turn to that EV charging sage, Henry Rollins for inspiration. 🤣 Time. Charging an EV for the consumer is fundamentally about the contextuality of time. Charge at home or at a hotel overnight on Level 2, and your perspective of "charge time" is probably the time it took you to plug in your EV. On a road trip with the family and you stop for a nice breakfast, lunch, or dinner at a restaurant — and your "time to charge" perspective is probably if your EV reached your desired state of charge when you were finished with your meal. But if you are a rideshare driver or someone in a hurry (or the type that doesn't even like to stop for a 5-minute gas fill up) — then 30 minutes to charge might feel like a lifetime to you. Yes, we need more fast chargers. We need more high-power chargers. We need higher max charging capabilities of BEVs. We need better charging curves. We need better education of EV drivers around how to use their EV's charging curve to minimize total time spent charging on a trip. We need to minimize queueing time. And more. But charging is not just about the EV's state of charge, but also about the driver's state of mind. Some drivers will never be happy with EVs until they can charge in 5 minutes like their ICE vehicle. But for most everyone else, you can manage how long the time to charge "feels" - that 40 minutes to charge can be excruciating, or it can be a relaxing and enjoyable time eating a nice meal with your family, that only felt like the few minutes to walk from the car to the restaurant. EV drivers can only control part of how long their EV takes to reach a desired state of charge — but they control 100% of how they spend that concurrent time, and how long it "feels" to them.

Where you live impacts how you charge, especially in the geographically diverse United States, Mexico, and Canada. One thing we don't talk about enough in North American charging is how varied the regions are, and what that means for EV adoption and charging an electrified model. Here are a few distinct challenges that become clear when you consider the thousands of miles and distinct geography of our continent: Congestion in Cities - Dense metro areas bring multi-unit dwellings, on-street parking, and often scarce overnight charging options. This pushes more demand towards urban DC charging, as well as daytime level 2 at workplaces, parking lots, and other destination charging sites. (The lack of options in my hometown of San Francisco was part of why I joined AMPECO in the first place.) Rural & Remote - Larger distances between towns and limited power for DC charging at some travel locations. Site and hardware selection are key factors, as utilization could be limited or sporadic, while battery storage could also be required to offset costly demand charges. Trucks are the common work vehicle in these regions, meaning larger battery packs that see the greatest benefit from high power chargers. EV Adoption Levels - Penetration levels of electric vehicles vary greatly by state and province. One-quarter of new vehicle sales in California are now ZEV models, while Wyoming struggles to sell more than one thousand EVs in a year. Utilization becomes a challenge in these areas. Are there local incentives in place to offset CapEx costs and give you more room for ROI? Can you find a site on a travel route that will see greater use from visiting EV drivers? Routing visibility and demand generation become key in locations like this.  Lifestyle & Use Case - The needs of EV drivers vary depending on how they’re using the vehicle, which is often dependent on the region. An electric truck driver towing a trailer from Moose Jaw to Maple Creek in Saskatchewan needs shelter and pull-through charging stalls, whereas an apartment-dwelling commuter in Toronto is happier with level 2 in a lot close to their office. As we think about how to drive increased electrification of transportation, we need to address the various challenges faced by EV drivers across the continent, depending on where they live. For example, nobody thinks of Europe as one size fits all... We know that Norway is out in front, much like California and British Columbia here. Other countries are further behind, requiring more thought and time to make electric vehicles work. We must be more sensitive to the challenges faced by these different regions and tailor infrastructure deployment strategies accordingly. With that in mind, how do you approach bringing EV charging to your region? How is your network growth strategy customized to fit your unique area? #ChargingChallenges #EVsales #EVadoption