Policy options to support the adoption of electric vehicles in the urban environment

• Shows supportive policies for electronic vehicles that are most effective, efficient, and feasible.
• Uses data from a workshop involving electronic vehicles policy makers in European cities.
• Examines two feasible policy mixes of measures to stimulate electric mobility.

In this paper we discuss the effectiveness, efficiency and feasibility of policy measures that cities may adopt to stimulate the uptake and use of electric vehicles. Our analysis is based on an expert workshop in which municipal policy-makers used a group decision room system to exchange their experiences with electric vehicle related policies. We distinguish six categories of measures: supporting citizens and businesses, supporting charging-infrastructure build up, regulatory measures, raising awareness, government as lead user, and governing the transition with other levels of government. We find two feasible policy mixes of effective and efficient measures, one for cities that strive to be among the global frontrunners and one of no-regret policies that any city should adopt, if it wants to stimulate electric mobility.