Electric vehicle adoption : an analysis of best practice and pitfalls for policy making from experiences of Europe and the US

Accelerating the rate of electric vehicle (EV) adoption is an objective of many countries to mitigate and ameliorate negative externalities arising from the use of fossil fuels for personal motorised transportation including: greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, air pollution and noise, as well as increasing energy security and reducing budget deficits. Within the dynamic field of EVs, this paper highlights strategic directions for policy makers to increase EV uptake. The paper critically reviews measures adopted by some industrialised countries to motivate consumer purchase of EVs rather than conventional internal combustion vehicles (ICVs). A key focus is the role of financial and soft incentives to encourage EV adoption. The analysis reveals that not all incentives are equally effective; an adequate recharger network appears to be a common concerning factor for EV adoption due to customer anxiety and vehicle limitations. Best practice strategies that could foster a faster transition to EV adoption include appropriate legislation, installation and maintenance of an adequate public recharger network, government procurement programs, and investment in information programs to accelerate the transition towards fossil free driving. The paper evidences how implementation of these strategies can affect overall adoption rates.