Evaluating Electric Vehicle Policy Effectiveness and Equity

In this article, I review the academic literature on the economics of plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs), with a focus on PEV policy, benefits, and equity. PEVs are one of the most promising technologies for decarbonizing the transportation sector. As such, many government policies exist to promote their adoption. Understanding the effectiveness and equity of existing policies, what the realized environmental benefits are, and how these benefits compare to costs is crucial to improving future PEV policy. This review suggests that consumer PEV subsidies are not cost-effective and are often expensive relative to estimated environmental benefits. Furthermore, higher-income households who make up a larger share of the PEV market receive both a disproportionate amount of government subsidies as well as PEV benefits. There is considerable room for policy improvement.