Charging at the workplace: boosting acceptance for electric mobility on the go? Empirical evidence from a pre-post-design study in Germany

Studies indicate that the availability of sufficient charging in frastructure plays a crucial role in the acceptance of electric
mobility. The lack of charging stations and concerns about lim ited range are perceived as barriers to purchase and use electric
vehicles, particularly for non-users. Charging at the workplace appears promising for addressing these challenges. Specifically,
it can contribute to a higher perceived compatibility for indi viduals (e.g. for those without home charging options), poten tially increasing interest in electric vehicles. Additionally, the increased visibility and accessibility of charging stations could
contribute to overall acceptance. Hence, we investigated if (re cently installed) charging stations at the workplace can influ ence attitudes and behaviours related to electric mobility. Between 2019 and 2022, new charging stations were installed
in four German cities, in close proximity to research institutes. Before (N = 1183) and after the installation (N = 522) of the
charging stations, employees of the research institutes partici pated in an acceptance study. About 270 individuals partici pated in both online surveys. The statistical analyses reveal that the installation of charging stations makes the purchase of an
electric vehicle more appealing to employees. The new charg ing stations appear to be a significant factor associated with an
increased perception of compatibility of using an electric ve hicle with people’s everyday life. In addition, we find that gen eral attitudes toward electric mobility became more polarized. Overall, the study suggests that establishing charging stations
within organizational settings can be a driver for the transition to electric mobility. However, we discuss additional factors that
impact attitudes toward electric mobility – especially for indi viduals that are particularly sceptical – such as hands-on expe riences with the technology, concurrent societal discourses and relevant policies.