Vehicle electrification is an important strategy in moving toward a more sustainable transportation future. Replacing gasoline with electricity to power vehicles enables reduced dependence on fossil fuels and can dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions when clean energy sources are used to produce electricity. Barriers to consumer adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) include relatively higher purchase prices and limitations in vehicle range and charging infrastructure. Much research has focused on these barriers. There has been relatively less focus on how to convey the benefits of PEVs to prospective buyers. Reduced energy costs can be a significant benefit for consumers who adopt PEVs. However, the complexity of comparing gasoline and electricity prices makes it difficult for consumers to quantify this benefit. Online vehicle energy cost calculators are one strategy to help consumers calculate potential savings and perhaps persuade them to adopt PEVs. For example, UC Davis ITS researchers developed an online tool called EV Explorer that enables users to compare personalized estimates of annual energy costs for multiple vehicles. In this research, UC Davis Consumer Energy Interfaces Lab evaluated EV Explorer through an online experiment. The study assessed 108 participants’ perceptions—before and after using the tool—of their current energy costs, potential savings with electric vehicles, attitude toward vehicle charging, and intention to buy or lease an electric vehicle in the future. This study is the first to examine the effectiveness of an online vehicle energy cost calculator in promoting PEV adoption.

Most HCI research related to electric vehicle adoption has focused on mitigating barriers related to vehicle range and charging infrastructure, while relatively less attention has been given to helping consumers recognize the bene­fits of electric vehicles. A significant benefit is reduced energy costs; however, the complexity of comparing gasoline and electricity prices makes it difficult for consumers to quantify. This paper describes and evaluates an online tool called EV Explorer that enables users to compare personalized estimates of annual energy costs for multiple vehicles. We assessed the tool through an online experi­ment, gauging users' perceptions-before and after using the tool-of their current energy costs, potential savings with electric vehicles, attitude toward electric vehicle charging, and intention to buy or lease an electric vehicle in the future. Statistically significant changes in each of these variables validate the tool as an educational and persuasive strategy to promote electric vehicle adoption. 

Over 80% of commercial buildings declaring a zero net energy (ZNE) goal do not have data-verified actual ZNE status. Thus, building occupants, managers, and other stakeholders may wish to track progress toward ZNE throughout the year to ensure the goal is met at the year’s end. This is difficult because the balance on any given day, week, or month need not be, and is unlikely to be, zero, given variation in solar production and energy usage due to weather fluctuations and occupancy patterns. This paper presents a model for calculating building and end use level consumption targets at multiple time-scales to serve as granular ZNE progress indicators for stakeholders and occupants. The process of developing these consumption targets involved multiple data sources, including loggers in each building configured to capture total PV production and consumption disaggregated by end uses. We provide an example for communicating ZNE progress indicators via an occupant-facing energy dashboard that we are currently developing. In order to offer occupants’ more achievable goals, we weighted each building’s targets based on pooled performance across the four buildings, and excluded end uses that were not part of the original ZNE design. Our process for modeling ZNE progress indicators can be replicated by other ZNE communities to keep stakeholders and occupants informed and engaged in reaching their energy goals.