IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/enepol/v195y2024ics0301421524003926.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Investing in the future of mobility: The role of US local governments in building EV infrastructure

Author

Listed:
  • Cain, Bruce E.
  • Gerber, Elisabeth R.
  • Lee, Nathan
  • Miller, Susan

Abstract

As US local governments take on increasingly important roles in building out the infrastructure required to support a large-scale shift to electric vehicles, what factors motivate their decisions? Are they more responsive to bottom-up pressures from within their jurisdictions or top-down incentives or constraints from the state and national governments? We test hypotheses about the drivers of local government decision-making with data from a recent survey of US local government officials. Leveraging the unique timing of our study, which was launched just after massive new federal resources were announced, we find that bottom-up pressures remain central drivers of local government action. These results shed new light on the role of local government in the development of new infrastructure systems, in general, and in the transition to a national electric vehicle network, in particular.

Suggested Citation

  • Cain, Bruce E. & Gerber, Elisabeth R. & Lee, Nathan & Miller, Susan, 2024. "Investing in the future of mobility: The role of US local governments in building EV infrastructure," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 195(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:195:y:2024:i:c:s0301421524003926
    DOI: 10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114372
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0301421524003926
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.enpol.2024.114372?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Shanjun Li & Lang Tong & Jianwei Xing & Yiyi Zhou, 2017. "The Market for Electric Vehicles: Indirect Network Effects and Policy Design," Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, University of Chicago Press, vol. 4(1), pages 89-133.
    2. Carley, Sanya & Nicholson-Crotty, Sean & Miller, Chris J., 2017. "Adoption, reinvention and amendment of renewable portfolio standards in the American states," Journal of Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 37(4), pages 431-458, December.
    3. Wong, Stephen D. PhD & Shaheen, Susan A. PhD & Martin, Elliot PhD & Uyeki, Robert, 2023. "Do Incentives Make a Difference? Understanding Smart Charging Program Adoption for Electric Vehicles," Institute of Transportation Studies, Research Reports, Working Papers, Proceedings qt98z4b5rr, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Berkeley.
    4. Gray, Virginia, 1973. "Innovation in the States: A Diffusion Study," American Political Science Review, Cambridge University Press, vol. 67(4), pages 1174-1185, December.
    5. Sierzchula, William & Bakker, Sjoerd & Maat, Kees & van Wee, Bert, 2014. "The influence of financial incentives and other socio-economic factors on electric vehicle adoption," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 183-194.
    6. Saatvika Rai, 2020. "Policy Adoption and Policy Intensity: Emergence of Climate Adaptation Planning in U.S. States," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 37(4), pages 444-463, July.
    7. Bromley-Trujillo, Rebecca & Poe, John, 2020. "The importance of salience: public opinion and state policy action on climate change," Journal of Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 40(2), pages 280-304, June.
    8. Diamond, David, 2009. "The impact of government incentives for hybrid-electric vehicles: Evidence from US states," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 37(3), pages 972-983, March.
    9. Cordis, Adriana S. & Warren, Patrick L., 2014. "Sunshine as disinfectant: The effect of state Freedom of Information Act laws on public corruption," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 115(C), pages 18-36.
    10. Schaffer, Lena Maria & Oehl, Bianca & Bernauer, Thomas, 2022. "Are policymakers responsive to public demand in climate politics?," Journal of Public Policy, Cambridge University Press, vol. 42(1), pages 136-164, March.
    11. Jing Liang & Yueming (Lucy) Qiu & Pengfei Liu & Pan He & Denise L. Mauzerall, 2023. "Effects of expanding electric vehicle charging stations in California on the housing market," Nature Sustainability, Nature, vol. 6(5), pages 549-558, May.
    12. Vergis, Sydney & Chen, Belinda, 2015. "Comparison of plug-in electric vehicle adoption in the United States: A state by state approach," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 56-64.
    13. Jenn, Alan & Springel, Katalin & Gopal, Anand R., 2018. "Effectiveness of electric vehicle incentives in the United States," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 119(C), pages 349-356.
    14. Jeffrey R. Lax & Justin H. Phillips, 2012. "The Democratic Deficit in the States," American Journal of Political Science, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 56(1), pages 148-166, January.
    15. Kumar, Rajeev Ranjan & Chakraborty, Abhishek & Mandal, Prasenjit, 2021. "Promoting electric vehicle adoption: Who should invest in charging infrastructure?," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 149(C).
    16. Silvia, Chris & Krause, Rachel M., 2016. "Assessing the impact of policy interventions on the adoption of plug-in electric vehicles: An agent-based model," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 96(C), pages 105-118.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Azarafshar, Roshanak & Vermeulen, Wessel N., 2020. "Electric vehicle incentive policies in Canadian provinces," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    2. Münzel, Christiane & Plötz, Patrick & Sprei, Frances & Gnann, Till, 2019. "How large is the effect of financial incentives on electric vehicle sales? – A global review and European analysis," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 84(C).
    3. Burra, Lavan T. & Sommer, Stephan & Vance, Colin, 2023. "Free-Ridership in Subsidies for Company- and Private Electric Vehicles," Ruhr Economic Papers 1015, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    4. Briseño, Hugo & Ramirez-Nafarrate, Adrian & Araz, Ozgur M., 2021. "A multivariate analysis of hybrid and electric vehicles sales in Mexico," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    5. Ledna, Catherine & Muratori, Matteo & Brooker, Aaron & Wood, Eric & Greene, David, 2022. "How to support EV adoption: Tradeoffs between charging infrastructure investments and vehicle subsidies in California," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 165(C).
    6. Haidar, Bassem & Aguilar Rojas, Maria Teresa, 2022. "The relationship between public charging infrastructure deployment and other socio-economic factors and electric vehicle adoption in France," Research in Transportation Economics, Elsevier, vol. 95(C).
    7. Alali, Layla & Niesten, Eva & Gagliardi, Dimitri, 2022. "The impact of UK financial incentives on the adoption of electric fleets: The moderation effect of GDP change," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 161(C), pages 200-220.
    8. Derek Glasgow & Shuang Zhao & Saatvika Rai, 2021. "Rethinking Climate Change Leadership: An Analysis of the Ambitiousness of State GHG Targets," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 38(4), pages 398-426, July.
    9. Martin Kalthaus & Jiatang Sun, 2021. "Determinants of Electric Vehicle Diffusion in China," Environmental & Resource Economics, Springer;European Association of Environmental and Resource Economists, vol. 80(3), pages 473-510, November.
    10. Burra, Lavan T. & Sommer, Stephan & Vance, Colin, 2024. "Policy complementarities in the promotion of electric vehicles," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    11. Austmann, Leonhard M., 2021. "Drivers of the electric vehicle market: A systematic literature review of empirical studies," Finance Research Letters, Elsevier, vol. 41(C).
    12. Hardman, Scott & Chandan, Amrit & Tal, Gil & Turrentine, Tom, 2017. "The effectiveness of financial purchase incentives for battery electric vehicles – A review of the evidence," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 1100-1111.
    13. Shanjun Li & Xianglei Zhu & Yiding Ma & Fan Zhang & Hui Zhou, 2022. "The Role of Government in the Market for Electric Vehicles: Evidence from China," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 41(2), pages 450-485, March.
    14. Haupt, Wolfgang & Eckersley, Peter & Kern, Kristine, 2021. "Transfer und Skalierung von lokaler Klimapolitik: Konzeptionelle Ansätze, Voraussetzungen und Potenziale," IRS Dialog 1/2021, Leibniz Institute for Research on Society and Space (IRS).
    15. Burra, Lavan T. & Sommer, Stephan & Vance, Colin, 2024. "Free-ridership in subsidies for company- and private electric vehicles," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    16. Li, Guodong & Walls, W.D. & Zheng, Xiaoli, 2023. "Differential license plate pricing and electric vehicle adoption in Shanghai, China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    17. Srivastava, Abhishek & Kumar, Rajeev Ranjan & Chakraborty, Abhishek & Mateen, Arqum & Narayanamurthy, Gopalakrishnan, 2022. "Design and selection of government policies for electric vehicles adoption: A global perspective," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    18. Zhang, Junjie & Jia, Rongwen & Yang, Hangjun & Dong, Kangyin, 2022. "Does electric vehicle promotion in the public sector contribute to urban transport carbon emissions reduction?," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C), pages 151-163.
    19. Correia Sinézio Martins, Edlaine & Lépine, Julien & Corbett, Jacqueline, 2024. "Assessing the effectiveness of financial incentives on electric vehicle adoption in Europe: Multi-period difference-in-difference approach," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    20. Wang, Yitong & Fan, Ruguo & Du, Kang & Bao, Xuguang, 2023. "Exploring incentives to promote electric vehicles diffusion under subsidy abolition: An evolutionary analysis on multiplex consumer social networks," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 276(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:enepol:v:195:y:2024:i:c:s0301421524003926. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/enpol .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.