UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies

This paper reports the evaluation of EV Explorer, an online vehicle informational tool. EV Explorer allows users to compare fuel costs for different vehicles based on their own commuting patterns, charging opportunities, vehicle mileage, and local fuel prices. All these inputs can be adjusted by the user for a tailored estimate of annual fuel costs for up to four user-selected vehicles at a time. Default vehicle comparisons promote consideration of plug-in hybrid electric and fully electric vehicles (PEVs). The authors evaluated EV Explorer through online experimentation, gauging users’ perceptions—before and after using the website—of their current fuel costs, potential savings with PEVs, attitude toward PEV charging, and intention to buy or lease a PEV in the future. Statistically significant changes in each of these variables validate EV Explorer as an educational tool and a persuasive eco-feedback intervention to promote the adoption of PEVs.