An investigation into electric vehicle timeshare rental schemes in Beijing, China

Abstract

Electric vehicle timeshare rental is a form of sustainable transportation and is growing in popularity around the world. An analysis of the present situation is thus useful for transport management and planning. The study reported in this paper aimed to clarify the usage and operation of electric vehicle timeshare rental schemes in Beijing, China, including mobility patterns, pricing structure, willingness and factors affecting satisfaction through data analysis and questionnaires. The results showed that users had distinctive socio-demographic attributes. Mobility patterns represented a regularity in both time and space, and the pricing structure was a significant factor affecting the users’ opinions. Eight factors, including age and cost, showed strong correlation with user satisfaction. It is concluded that electric vehicle timeshare rental is a promising travel mode that could replace private cars and promote the development of electric vehicles. The results of this study can contribute to programming and management of electric vehicle timeshare rental schemes in the future.