Willing to Wait? Acceptance of Load Management at e-Vehicle Charging Stations in Germany

This study explores residential consumer preferences for variable e-vehicle charging electricity prices in Germany, driven by the increasing adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and their impact on the electricity distribution grid. To examine these preferences under various charging conditions, a choice-based conjoint experiment was conducted with 2541 participants, including 1071 BEV owners in Germany. In order to cover a wide range of conceivable charging locations, we included four different settings in our choice options: home charging, workplace charging, highway rest stop charging, and destination charging at shopping centers. Within these settings, the choice options have been designed to reflect the relationship between charging costs and time attributes, including the technically required charging time, and the additional waiting time caused by demand-side management strategies from distribution network operators. On the basis of the choices made in the experiment, it was found that the charging costs have the strongest impact on consumer choices and that the highest willingness-to-pay for a reduction in charging and, in particular, waiting times, occurs in short-stay locations. Addressing the socio-demographic and mobility-behavioral differences of consumers, these findings provide new insights into effective dynamic pricing strategies that could promote BEV adoption, enhance user satisfaction, and support grid stability. This study contributes to the sustainable transportation debate by presenting consumer responses to dynamic charging tariffs. These insights are expectedly valuable for policy-makers and charging service providers aiming to design effective, user-centric charging infrastructure solutions.