Methodology for evaluating existing infrastructure and facilitating the diffusion of PEVs

Recent U.S. state and federal legislation have been implemented with the intent of promoting the diffusion of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). Meanwhile, the federal government has passed new regulation aimed at increasing fuel efficiency standards of gasoline powered vehicles in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. In this paper, we examine the existing barriers that impact PEV diffusion. We argue that increased fuel efficiency standards coupled with declining gasoline prices conflicts with the implemented PEV incentives. Using a geospatial method, we demonstrate how policymakers can create regionally weighted markets based on consumer surveys to facilitate the development of a national policy for nascent products like the PEVs. - Highlights: • We discuss a potential conflict between PEV incentives and fuel efficiency standards • We propose a policy method for identifying potential PEV consumer markets • This weighted geospatial method complements the broader in-situ policy distribution