Can electric vehicles aid the renewable transition? Evidence from a field experiment incentivizing midday charging

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: La Nauze, Andrea; Friesen, Lana; Li Lim, Kai; Menezes, Flavio; Page, Lionel; Philip, Thara; Whitehead, Jake
• 署名单位: Deakin University; University of Queensland; University of Sydney
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF PUBLIC ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0047-2727
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2026.105696
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: GRID V2G; randomization; ECONOMICS; POLICY

摘要

Electric vehicles are key to decarbonizing transportation, but, as batteries-on-wheels, they present novel chal lenges and opportunities for grids simultaneously transitioning to renewable energy. In a field experiment tracking 390 electric vehicles minute-by-minute, we show that time-based charging incentives dramatically shift not only when vehicles are charged, but also where. Incentives to increase charging during solar energy genera tion hours lead to a 34% rise in charging-mostly outside the home. Incentives to reduce peak time charging result in 17%-27% lower charging-mostly at home. Participants demonstrate multiple responses to incentives, including shifting time and location of charging, reducing charging by driving less, and lowering their battery state-of-charge. We find stronger midday charging responses for commuters and those with fast home chargers, and suggestive evidence that commuters increase use of workplace charging. Tariffs and charging infrastructure, therefore, need to be designed in tandem to manage the critical time and location imbalances brought about by the net-zero transition.