University of California Institute of Transportation Studies

Under the Advanced Clean Cars II (ACC II) rule, California must move to 100% zero emission vehicle (ZEV) sales by 2035. Tomake this transition equitable, it is important to understand how we can support ZEV adoption in all communities–including rural communities. The aim of this study is to explore the experiences and perceptions of current rural plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) owners, identify barriers to charging and ownership, and suggest factors to guide the development of infrastructure in rural areas. (PEVs include battery-electric vehicles [BEVs] and plug-in hybrid vehicles.) Semi-structured interviews were conducted with rural PEV owners and included questions related to travel behavior, at-home and public charging experiences, and motivation for household vehicle purchase. Major themes were extracted from the interviews including that PHEV owners tend to have minimal at-home and public charging requirements, while BEV owners require access to Level 2 charging at home and reliable fast charging in public spaces. Additionally, the magnitude of public charging reliability and availability issues appear to be greater in rural than non-rural areas. Grid reliability issues and specific vehicle requirements were also points of discussion among rural PEV owners. The findings of this report could inform policy makers, car manufacturers, and PEV charging companies to better serve rural communities in the transition to 100% PEV sales.