Rural vs. Urban: How Urbanicity Shapes Electric Vehicle Charging Behavior in Rhode Island

Abstract

A ubiquitous network of charging stations is vital to facilitate the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) and the achievement of a low-carbon transportation system. Currently, the availability of EV infrastructure differs significantly between communities as planning procedures are not necessarily equitable. Understanding the charging behavior of EV users is a crucial step toward creating an electric vehicle service equipment (EVSE) infrastructure that serves users efficiently, equitably, and sustainably. Presently, public charging station deployment efforts differ across communities, with little context surrounding urbanicity. This study analyzes data from 66 public Level 2 charging stations across Rhode Island. Motivated by the significant disparities in infrastructure availability between urban and rural areas, the research explores behavioral differences to inform infrastructure planning. Key findings reveal that urban stations are predominantly used during weekdays, with longer charging durations and higher energy consumption, whereas rural stations are primarily utilized on weekends and exhibit shorter, more efficient charging sessions. On average, dwell times at rural stations are approximately 50% shorter, while average energy demand is only 7% less. These results provide actionable insights for optimizing charging station deployment and utilization across diverse communities to support the growing demand for EVs.

Keywords

• electric vehicle
• urbanicity
• user behavior
• charging