The Timeframe of Adaptation to Electric Vehicle Range

We explored how people learn to cope with the limited range of electric vehicles (EVs), and examined the relationship between personality traits and the amount of practice needed to achieve a maximum available range. Data from 56 participants who leased an EV in a 6-month field study were analyzed. The amount of practice needed until a participant achieved his maximum available range was assessed with four variables computed from data logger recordings: the amount of time, days, and distance the user drove the EV and the amount of days the user owned the EV. All four variables correlated strongly with each other (r ≥ .75). The results showed that an average person needs approximately three months to complete adaptation to EV range and that speedy driving style, low need for cognition, high impulsivity, and high internal control beliefs are related to a longer adaptation timeframe.