Public perceptions of electric vehicles and vehicle-to-grid (V2G): Insights from a Nordic focus group study

Public awareness and acceptance of electric vehicles (EVs) are essential components to catalyse a faster uptake of more sustainable passenger transport as well as vehicle-to-grid (V2G) mobility. As such, public perceptions are central to decarbonize transportation and help capture the co-benefits of reduced local pollution, noise emissions, and oil dependency. However, we observe that the general public is often treated statically and seen as either problematic or peripheral to questions within the transport and energy studies communities. This paper asks two questions. First, given increasing adoption in the Nordic region, how do ordinary members of the public perceive EVs? And second, how do they perceive V2G? With these questions, the paper offers an international and in-depth assessment of public perceptions of EVs and V2G systems across five Nordic countries using original data drawn from eight focus groups. We find eight themes of relevance for future research and policy. These include often discussed insights like an EV's environmental sustainability, range, charging or price, but also insights around themes like social status, sound, and acceleration. Additionally, we asked the participants whether V2G strengthens (or weakens) the desirability of EVs. The paper ends with a reflection on the knowledge discrepancies between national focus groups and individuals with and without EV presence and the different informational requirements that are needed to address them.