Feeling comfortable? Exploring the relation between personality, competence, and range interaction in electric vehicles

Abstract: As electric vehicles (EVs) become increasingly prevalent, understanding drivers' interactions with range and their charging behavior is crucial for supporting optimal system design and adoption. The present study investigates the link of technology-related driver characteristics, such as affinity for technology interaction (ATI), to range interaction and charging behavior and explores how driving experience with EVs impacts drivers’ comfortable range. Two online surveys (NS1 = 205, NS2 = 57) were conducted, focusing on range interaction and charging behavior. Results revealed that drivers with higher ATI tend to have higher comfortable range values, and this relationship is mediated by subjective range competence (SRC). Additionally, drivers who base their charging decisions on their preferred charge level are likely to have already experienced lower displayed remaining range values, suggesting potentially more efficient battery utilization. These findings suggest the importance of considering personality variables and charging behavior patterns in promoting efficient EV usage. Moreover, we found that most drivers in our sample mainly charge at home, and there is still a large proportion of drivers who do little to no public charging. Strategies focusing on enhancing drivers' SRC and addressing individual differences, particularly in technology-related variables, could help to better cope with situations involving range stress and bridge the gap between technical and comfortable range.

Keywords: Electric Vehicles, Comfortable Range, Range Interaction, Inter-Individual Differences

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005220

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