Suggested Citation:
Hu, Pingfan, Tarroja Brian, Matthew Dean, Kate Forest, Eric Hittinger, Alan Jenn, John Paul Helveston (2026)

Measuring Electric Vehicle Owners’ Willingness to Participate in Smart Charging Programs

. Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis, Journal Article UCD-ITS-RP-25-113

Abstract:

As power systems transition to renewable energy, integrating battery electric vehicles (BEVs)
into grid operations presents new opportunities and challenges for managing electricity demand
and the associated environmental impacts from BEV charging. This study examines two gridintegration strategies: supplier-managed charging (SMC), which gives utilities control over charging timing, and vehicle-to-grid (V2G), which transforms BEVs into distributed energy storage
resources. Using a discrete choice experiment with 1,356 current BEV owners, we quantify how
program attributes influence enrollment decisions. Using multinomial logit models, results suggest that SMC participants predominantly value operational flexibility and recurring payments
while V2G participants prefer monetary incentives, indicating a willingness to provide grid services
for compensation. Through simulation analysis, we identify program ‘attribute equivalencies’ that
quantify changes needed in attributes to achieve equivalent enrollment levels. These findings can
be used in the design of market mechanisms and policy frameworks that accelerate BEV integration into future energy systems.