DLR.de • Chart 1
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
The commercial early adopters of electric vehicles in Germany –
usage behavior, purchase motives, policy measures
WCTR SIG G3 „Climate Change Targets and Urban Transport Policy”
Valetta, 13.-14. April 2015
Ina Frenzel
German Aerospace Center
Institute of Transport Research
DLR.de • Chart 2
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Agenda
1. Background
2. Survey methodology
3. Profile of commercial early adopters in Germany
4. Motivation of purchase
5. Conclusion
DLR.de • Chart 3
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Background
• Greenhouse gas emissions are supposed to shrink by about 40 % until 2020
• Policy measures to promote electric vehicles:
 free parking
 tax exemption or
 the permission to use bus lanes (since 2015)
• over 21,000 registered electric vehicles in Germany (2014)
• 44 million registered vehicle powered by internal combustion engines
Profile, user behavior and learnings for future development of electric mobility
DLR.de • Chart 4
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Survey methodology
over 21,000 registered electric vehicles (2014)
over 9,200 contacted electric vehicle owners
34%
n = 3,111 respondents
1,165 commercial
(including public sector)
1,946 private electric vehicle users
DLR.de • Chart 5
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Profile of commercial electric vehicle (EV) users
Small companies ( 49 employees)
Branches
13% Public administration
67%
12% Construction industry
11% Energy supply
18%
15%
Medium-sized companies
(>49 and  249 employees)
Big companies (> 250 employees)
25% Service sector
DLR.de • Chart 6
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Profile of commercial EV users - Usage
Electric driven daily mileage
49 km
47 km
BEV
EVs trip planning
PHEV
EVs trip planning
9%
5%
26%
33%
18%
Trips are spontanous.
The trip is planned with recharging during the
trip.
The trips are always short enough that electric
range is unimportant.
The trip is planned that enough battery power is
left to reach final destination.
The trip is planned that the range is almost
exploited to its full extent.
Rest 9% = no answer
DLR.de • Chart 7
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Profile of commercial EV users – perceived usage restrictions
Commercial respondents (n=1,165)
Insufficient electric range
78%
41%
Slow charging time
28%
Restriction in electric range in cold weather
28%
No charging option available during the trip
22%
Insufficient payload
21%
Insufficient seating capacity
Users who would like to transport goods
with the EV but feel restricted (n=211)
52%
47%
39%
65%
45%
19%
Preventing trips including motorways
14%
29%
Not comfortable enough
13%
30%
PHEV: too high consumption of the combustion
engine
No restrictions, I use the EV for every purpose
10%
9%
34%
Difference
DLR.de • Chart 8
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Lessons learned I
• Branches realizing mainly business passenger transport
• Electric range most mentioned restriction
• Recharging during tours is barely an option
• Restricted purpose mentioned is the transportation of goods  insufficient payloads are of special relevance
DLR.de • Chart 9
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Motivation of purchase of commercial early adopter
Interest in innovative automotive technology
87%
8%
Reduction of environmental impact
84%
10%
Lower energy cost per km
Image
Driving pleasure with electric drive
!
75%
15%
74%
18%
67%
22%
Lower maintenance costs
54%
Use of self-generated electricity
53%
31%
40%
Free charging option with the employer
30%
61%
Free (semi-)public charging infrastructure
28%
58%
Vehicle tax exemption
24%
60%
Free parking
16%
important
!
!
72%
unimportant
Image is a particular commercial motivation
National policy measures were more or less unimportant
!
DLR.de • Chart 10
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Motivation of purchase: importance by company size
Average importance (7-Likert-Sclae)
important 7
Reduction of environmental impact
Image
6
Interest in innovative automotive
technology
Favorable energy cost per km
5
Low maintenance costs
4
Driving pleasure by electric drive
3
2
unimportant 1
Small
companies
Mediumsized
Big
companies
DLR.de • Chart 11
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Lessons learned II
• Policy measures do not play a great role currently
• Soft and emotional arguments for purchase are ranked as most important
• Differentiation of user groups show different importance of motives
DLR.de • Chart 12
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Conclusion for policy measures
1. Review of the design of policy measures
2. Expansion of model variety
• Addressing different user groups by different
targeted measures
• Green, innovative image is an important
argument
Increase the amount of EVs
DLR.de • Chart 13
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Ina Frenzel
Deutsches Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (DLR), German Aerospace Center
Institute of Transport Research | Rutherfordstr. 2 | 12489 Berlin
ina.frenzel@dlr.de
DLR.de • Chart 14
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Profile of commercial EV users - Usage
DLR.de • Chart 15
The commercial early adopters in Germany • Ina Frenzel • 13.04.2015
Motivation of purchase: importance by company size
• Favorable energy cost
per km
• Driving pleasure by
electric drive
• Low maintenance costs
• Free parking
• Image
• Free charging
option with the
employer
more
Importance for purchase
less
Number of employees per
company
Only statistical significant motives mentioned (p<0.01, two-tailed); analysis based on correlation matrix using Kendall-Tau-b, (n varying between 912 and 1020)