Tariff option preferences for smart and bidirectional charging: Evidence from battery electric vehicle users in Germany

Smart charging of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) can contribute to flexibility in power grids and help integrate renewable electricity. Tapping into this potential requires high user acceptance for smart charging and corresponding tariffs. In this paper, we analyze the preferences of current BEV users, representing the potential near-term adopters of smart charging, for different smart charging tariff design elements by conducting a discrete choice experiment with 689 participants in Germany. In doing so, we (1) provide an overview of current BEV users' preferences, (2) identify and characterize BEV user groups with substantial differences in their preferences, and (3) identify barriers for smart charging implementation from the perspective of current BEV users. More specifically, we find that potential cost savings along with the pricing scheme and charging mode are the most important tariff elements, whereof a pre-defined price corridor with an emergency price for grid bottlenecks and charging a safety buffer before applying smart charging are most preferred. We identify three user groups, with a large share of innovative adopters. Moreover, driving range or reluctance regarding data sharing can represent barriers for smart charging adoption. Based on our findings, we derive implications for decision-makers in policy and industry.