Mining electric vehicle adoption of users

Abstract

The increase of greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, and their adverse effects on the environment, have prompted the search for alternative energy sources to fossil fuels. One of the solutions gaining ground is the electrification of various human activities, such as the transport sector. This trend has fueled a growing need for electrical energy storage in lithium batteries. Precisely knowing the degree of degradation that this type of battery accumulates over its useful life is necessary to bring economic benefits, both for companies and citizens. This paper aims to answer the current need by proposing two research questions about electric motor vehicles. The first focuses on habits EV owners practice, which may harm the battery life, and the second on factors that may keep consumers from purchasing this type of vehicle. This research work sought to answer these two questions, using a methodology from data science and statistical analysis applied to three surveys carried out on electric vehicle owners. The results allowed us to conclude that, except for the Year variable, all other factors had a marginal effect on the vehicles’ absolute autonomy degradation. Regarding obstacles of the adoption of electric vehicles, the biggest encountered was the insufficient coverage of the network of charging stations.