Electric vehicles charging patterns

• Main Author: Rodrigues, Rui Simão
• Publication Date: 2021
• Format: Master thesis
• Language: eng
• Source: Repositórios Científicos de Acesso Aberto de Portugal (RCAAP)
• Download full: http://hdl.handle.net/10071/23515
• topic: Electric vehicles; Charging process; Comportamento -- Behavior; Veículos elétricos; Processo de carregamento

The increase in greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, and their adverse effects on the environment, has prompted the search for alternative energy sources to fossil fuels. One of the solutions gaining ground is the electrification of various human activities, such as the transport sector. This trend has fueled a growing need for electrical energy storage in lithium batteries. Precisely knowing the degree of degradation that this type of battery accumulates over its useful life is necessary to bring economic benefits, both for companies and citizens. This paper aims to answer the current need by proposing two research questions about electric motor vehicles. The first focuses on habits EV owners practice, which could harm the battery life, and the second on factors that could keep consumers from purchasing this type of vehicle. This thesis sought to answer these two questions, using a methodology from data science and statistical analysis, applied to three surveys carried out on electric vehicle owners. The results allowed us to conclude that, except for the Year variable (Year), all other factors had a marginal effect on the vehicles' absolute autonomy degradation. About obstacles to the adoption of electric vehicles, the biggest obstacle encountered was the insufficient coverage of the network of charging stations.