Electric vehicle users’ charging patterns and selection considerations at public charging stations

• Survey of 409 U.S. EV owners identifies five types of charging behaviors. • Regular public chargers are more common among renters with private parking. • Older, particularly female, EV drivers are less likely to use public charging. • All users desire accessible, reliable, and safe charging stations. • Preferences for speed, cost, waiting, ease, and proximity vary by charging behavior. Electric vehicles (EVs) have been promoted through policy and publicity as a solution for decarbonizing transport, with public charging stations (PCS) being crucial to support EV use. This study examines EV users’ PCS selection considerations and how they vary by existing charging behaviors. A survey of 409 U.S. EV owners (Dec 2023–Jan 2024) identified five user types with distinct charging behaviors using Hierarchical clustering: regular, range-anxious, functional, infrequent PCS users, and non-PCS users. Multinomial logistic regression linked user types primarily to gender, age, housing type, and parking type. Kano models further revealed that users of all types valued accessibility, reliability, and location safety, while differing priorities for charging speed, ease of use, amenity, waiting time and proximity. The findings offer valuable insights into PCS deployment and enhance EV user satisfaction, providing implications for policymakers, infrastructure developers, and future research to advance sustainable transport.