SP surveys for electric and alternative fuel vehicles: are we doing the right thing?

This paper analyses the practice of SP surveys for Electric Vehicles and identifies a number of their limitations. Specifically it is found that SP surveys may not represent adequately several dimensions that are relevant in the context of EV purchase such as garage ownership, second versus first car, refueling conditions, and that they often neglect transitory technologies (Plug in Hybrid) which are instead an important element in the diffusion of EVs. This paper also provides a number of recommendations for practitioners to conceive more realistic SP surveys which could increase the validity of policy recommendations formulated by economists.