2025 Theses Master's

Determinants of Charging Station Usage Satisfaction in Beijing's Historic Downtown

Hu, Weitong

Against the background of the global transition to electric mobility, historic urban areas face difficulties in the construction of electric vehicle charging facilities due to conflicts between cultural protection and policy development goals, limited space, and the dual contradiction between people's livelihood needs.

This study uses multiple methods such as GIS spatial analysis, field observation, questionnaire surveys and PLS-SEM modeling to systematically analyze the spatial layout of charging facilities within the second ring of Beijing, user behavior and satisfaction feedback, and policy coordination.

The study found that:

(1) the spatial distribution of charging piles in the second ring is uneven, with facilities mainly concentrated in commercial areas and transportation hubs. There is an insufficient distribution of facilities in residential areas, especially old communities, and historical and cultural areas, especially hutong-dense areas, creating a spatial mismatch of high population density and sparse facilities.

(2) Residents' satisfaction with the use of charging piles is mainly affected by the three dimensions of Built Environment, APP Usability and Charging Experience. Among them, APP Usability has the highest overall influence, and Charging Experience, as a direct explanatory variable of satisfaction, is also a key mediating variable through which Built Environment indirectly affects Satisfaction.

In addition, this study also reveals the spatial-policy-technology triple contradiction in the layout of charging piles in historical urban areas, and proposes a policy optimization path.