An alternative explanation of the persistent low EV-uptake: The need for interventions in current norms of mobility demand

Abstract

Worldwide, electric vehicles (EVs) are regarded as a key technology in decarbonising the transport sector by integrating renewable energy sources into the grid. Considering the great potentials to disseminate this smart-grid technology, the EV uptake remains low. This tension between the recent years high anticipation of the peak-shaving and storage potential of EVs and the associated persistent minor adoption rate is discussed through an in-depth case study of a Danish mobility operator's attempt to test EVs across a variety of Danish households. Considering the operator's ambitious and strategic promotion of EVs lower cost of operation, sustainable aspects and ability to meet driving needs, almost none of the participants wanted to adopt an EV after the trial ended. Corresponding with dominant approaches, the operator reproduced conventional problem framings' focus on technology, economic rationality, and information. However, through an alternative practice-based analysis, this paper critically recommends urgent sustainable mobility interventions to identify the crucial intervention points in the complexes of interlinked social practices to help explain the persistent low EV-uptake. The paper essentially acknowledges the need for policy makers and designers to scale down the focus on technology fix and innovation, and strategical intervene in the current concepts of practice configurations. In particularly, governance of mobility is recommended to involve multiple change agents to design practice-based interventions that target to reframe and reconceptualise the norms enmeshed in current mobility demand.