Fast-charging station here, please! User criteria for electric vehicle fast-charging locations

• We examine user requirements regarding a fast-charging-infrastructure for BEVs.
• We identify and quantify seven evaluation criteria for fast-charging locations.
• We examine effects of BEV experience, age, and gender on location assessment and the willingness for trade-offs.
• Reliability, accessibility and dual use are most important for location evaluation.
• Motorway service stations, shopping facilities, and traditional fuel stations as potential fast-charging station locations.

The present research reports an empirical study targeting the analysis of evaluation criteria for fast-charging locations regarding both position and concrete realization. Involving both current and potential users of electric mobility technology discovers criteria for public acceptance as well as a description of possible drawbacks. A questionnaire study was carried out in which participants were asked to provide information about desired locations as well as their requirements for both the charging process and charging stations. In a second step, the evaluation criteria based on earlier studies were ranked. An overall consensus could not only be detected in previous focus group discussions but also in this quantitative approach. Outcomes show that motorway service stations, shopping facilities, and traditional fuel stations can be visualized as potential fast-charging station locations. It is shown that users’ willingness to accept waiting times or detours cannot be expected. Dual use, reliability, and accessibility prove to be very important criteria for site evaluation of charging locations. In relation to user diversity, significant differences in terms of both prior use of battery electric vehicles and gender as well as occasional variations for age were found.