Can electric vehicles aid the renewable transition? Evidence from a field experiment incentivizing midday charging
Journal of Public Economics · 2026 · Andrea La Nauze、Lana Friesen、Kai Li Lim、Flavio Menezes、Lionel Page、Thara Philip
中文摘要
电动汽车是交通运输脱碳的关键，但作为“车轮上的电池”，它们也给同时向可再生能源转型的电网带来了新的挑战与机遇。在一项对390辆电动汽车进行逐分钟追踪的实地实验中，我们发现，基于时段的充电激励不仅显著改变了车辆的充电时间，也改变了充电地点。鼓励在太阳能发电时段增加充电的激励使充电量上升34%，且增量主要发生在家庭以外。鼓励减少高峰时段充电的激励使充电量下降17%—27%，且降幅主要发生在家中。参与者以多种方式响应激励，包括改变充电时间和地点、通过减少驾驶来降低充电量，以及降低电池荷电状态。我们发现，通勤者和家中配有快速充电器的参与者对午间充电激励的响应更强；另有启示性证据表明，通勤者增加了对工作场所充电设施的使用。因此，电价机制与充电基础设施需要协同设计，以应对净零转型所带来的关键时间和地点失衡。
Abstract
Electric vehicles are key to decarbonizing transportation, but, as batteries-on-wheels, they present novel challenges 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 generation 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.