Understanding user acceptance factors of electric vehicle smart charging

•We analyze relevant factors for the acceptance of smart charging of electric vehicles.•A structural equation model analysis based on 237 German early adopters is performed.•Key factors for acceptance are awareness of grid stability and RES integration capability.•The individual need for flexible mobility should not be limited through charging control.•Monetary compensation is expected, but not significant for acceptance.

Smart charging has been the focus of considerable research efforts but so far there is little notion of users’ acceptance of the concept. This work considers potentially influential factors for the acceptance of smart charging from the literature and tests their viability employing a structural equation model, following the partial least squares approach. For a sample of 237 early electric vehicle adopters from Germany our results show that contributing to grid stability and the integration of renewable energy sources are key motivational factors for acceptance of smart charging. In addition, the individual need for flexibility should not be impaired through charging control. Further well known influential factors like economic incentives do not seem to have a significant impact in the sample group under scrutiny. These and further findings should be taken into account by aggregators when designing attractive business models that incentivize the participation of early adopters and ease market rollout.