Can app notifications reduce charging hogging? An experiment with electric vehicle drivers

Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) have the potential to contribute to urban environments’ sustainability. However, charging hogging (e.g., leave the vehicle attached at charging stations beyond full charge) can limit the EV market, generate issues for local authorities and electricity providers, and hinder the experience of drivers. This study investigated experimentally whether different app notifications (involving loyalty points, reserved parking, and social norm messages) can encourage drivers in the Netherlands to move their vehicle when fully charged, involving 703 EV drivers of a high-end car manufacturer. Logistic regressions showed that offering reserved parking and sending social norm notifications both increased the intention to move vehicles after charge, among both fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicle drivers. For fully EV drivers, receiving loyalty points also increased the intention to move the vehicle. These findings indicate that providing reserved parking, sending social norm notifications and, partially, offering loyalty points, might be effective systems to reduce hogging.