  This study aims to investigate the contributing socio-demographic
characteristics and factors among female EV owners as well as their travel
behavior, commuting trip patterns, and purchasing/leasing ownerships. The
objective of the study is to recommend public policies to decision makers to
prompt gender equity for EV purchase and use by identifying socio-demographic
attributes that influence EV travel patterns and behavior.An online survey of
EV owners of both sexes was conducted from May 28, 2015, to February 19, 2016.
In total, 1,257 EV owners in Maryland completed usable surveys. A set of
statistical analysis methods was employed to analyze the data. A set of
correlation test, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and multinomial logit model
(MNL) were constructed to examine the associations between EV owner
characteristics and their EV purchasing/leasing and spatial commuting trip
behavior, and the results have been compared to the spatial travel patterns of
drivers of internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) in Maryland. The results
of this study showed that first, socio-demographic factors, including education
and income, played a significant role in preferences attributes of participants
for purchasing/leasing an EV and in the commuting travel behavior and pattern
and of EV drivers. Second, environmental issues are the main reason for
purchasing/leasing EVs, but the EV owners who had longer commutes were more
concerned about the price and status of the EV owner and efficiency and
performance than were those with shorter commutes. The results of this study
improve equity in transportation into the future and could be utilized by
transportation authorities, transport investment agencies, and collaborators in
developing and improving emerging transportation systems.
