The impact of charging infrastructure on coupling coordination of urbanization and ecological environment: Evidence from China

Abstract

This study builds an evaluation mechanism to assess the coupling coordinated degree (CCD) of urbanization and ecological environment in 31 Chinese provinces from 2016 to 2020. Then, using multi-step panel regression, we investigate the promotion impact of electric vehicle (EV) charging infrastructure on the CCD. Result shows that CCD of all provinces in 2020 was between 0.4 and 0.7, indicating a medium-high level of coupling coordination. Additionally, charging infrastructure indirectly enhances CCD by encouraging the development of EV. The above conclusion still holds true when endogenous problems are mitigated. This study has significant ramifications for resolving the conflict between rapid urbanization and ecological environment, which is beneficial for the long-term growth of cities.