The authors discuss the potential for market distortions in the market for plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) charging infrastructure. While existing market conditions give no indication that anti-competitive market distortions will emerge, the authors explore a worst-case future scenario where the emergence of regionally dominant firms pave the way for market distortions such as anti-competitive pricing, high switching costs, and access barriers. The authors first analyzed market developments in two regulated, more mature industries: automated teller machine (ATM) networks and mobile telephones. Anti-competitive pricing could take the form of high foreign fees for non-member transactions on electric vehicle service provider (EVSP) networks, or monopoly pricing to members. High EVSP network switching costs for PEV charging infrastructure owners and members could reinforce the regionally dominant firm's position. Access barriers, primarily a lack of information about PEV charging infrastructure, could lead to suboptimal PEV infrastructure utilization, harming site hosts, owners, and consumers. Inter-network transactions, a potential competitive response by non-dominant EVSP networks, gives rise to a new set of considerations. The authors conclude with contract and policy recommendations for local governments, site hosts, and PEV charging infrastructure owners to mitigate the risk of future market distortions.
Electric vehicle service provider networks and market distortions
EVS, Electric Vehicle Symposium, 26 ; 710-718
2012
9 Seiten, 9 Quellen
Conference paper
English
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