Spatial and temporal patterns of electric vehicle charging station utilization: a nationwide case study of Switzerland

Abstract

Abstract The expansion of the public charging infrastructure for electric vehicles is seen as central to the development of electric mobility in many countries. Although national studies of charging infrastructure utilization based on real-world data would be a sound basis for demand planning, such studies are scarce. Using Switzerland as an example, this study examines the spatial and temporal patterns of charging infrastructure utilization. To this end, detailed, nationwide, real-time utilization data from 3086 electric vehicle supply equipment units (EVSEs) at electric vehicle charging stations were collected over a period of several months and analyzed exploratively and statistically. The maximum average utilization rate of the EVSEs surveyed during the study period is between 14% and 16%, depending on the day of the week and time of day. Most charging occurs Monday through Friday during peak working hours and on Saturday during the day. The median utilization time is higher in the largest cities than the statewide average. Charging stations along major transit routes do not have higher utilization rates than in other locations. The results suggest that public charging infrastructure is used primarily in cities and agglomeration during work hours. The findings from this study may help plan and make better use of funding to expand charging infrastructure.