victorian electric vehicle trial mid-term report - Department of Transport

7.2 INSIGHTS7.2.1 How do we best tell thestory about electric vehicles?A range of insights can be drawnfrom the trial results that may informcommunication plans relating toelectric vehicle technologies. Keyissues that should be considered incommunicating the ‘EV story’ includeenvironmental bona fides, newtechnology as a defining characteristic,driving enjoyment due to the inherentcharacteristics of electric motors, andoperating cost benefits expressed infamiliar ways. Challenges include thecomplexity of the individual and interrelatedenvironmental and electricitysupply stories.Based upon insights gained fromthe trial, a range of opportunities existto more effectively communicate the‘EV story’:• Technology is clearly a significantreason as to why individuals maybecome initially interested inEVs – ‘interest in new technology’was the primary motivation forhousehold applicants to the trial(Section 4.2.1)• The demographic skew towardshigher education for thoseinterested in EVs (Section 4.2.1)may provide some opportunitiesin terms of communicationspathways – for example,most universities publish anddistribute magazines to alumniand maintain active socialnetworks, and often have roadsystems on campus that may lendthemselves to test-drive events• Vehicle performance in termsof acceleration and othercharacteristics that make electricvehicles fun to drive should be afocus for bringing people acrossto the technology, as has beenevidenced by the results from thetest-drive events undertaken aspart of the trial (Section 4.2.2)• Environmental benefits as thebasis for brand-building is theprimary reason for fleets tobecome initially interested inEVs (Section 4.3.1), and asignificant motivator forhouseholds also (Section4.2.1). The majority of fleetswho applied to participate inthe Victorian Electric VehicleTrial have significant corporatesocial responsibility commitmentsthey believe EVs may visiblydemonstrate• ‘Getting the story straight’ on theenvironmental benefits of EVsis a key to avoiding perceptionsof ‘greenwash’ and gaining a‘social licence’ for EV technologyto operate within the community.Almost without fail at any exhibitof the technology, questions havebeen asked about the legitimacyof the environmental benefitsof EVs. This is even more so inVictoria given the state’s widelyacknowledgedcarbon-intensiveelectricity generation, whichis a key issue that needs to beaddressed as part of EV chargingstrategies (Section 6.2)• Operating costs should beexpressed in terms of dollarsper week or month. Of the107 household participantssurveyed, nearly 65 per centrecorded the existing vehiclefuel costs as a weekly expense,while nearly 32 per cent recordedthese costs in monthly terms(Section 5.2.5)• Solar PV owners have a goodunderstanding of electricity costsand use, including the financialbenefits of deferring energy useto off-peak periods, providing apotential avenue for discussionof the low operating costs ofEVs charged in off-peak periods(Section 5.2.4). Solar PV ownersare also an excellent demographicfit for ‘technology/environment’as highlighted above, and sorepresent a likely early marketopportunity for EVs• The first EV drivers are effectively‘ambassadors’ for the technologywho should be provided withrelevant information so as to bewell-informed. This was evidencedby the frequency of conversationsreported by the trial householdparticipants with family, friends,work colleagues and evenstrangers on the topic (referto Section 7.2.2).CREATING A MARKET 123