Electric vehicle adoption and travel mode choices

We examine how EV adoption affects travel behavior using trip-level data and administrative microdata on households and passenger cars in the Netherlands. To mitigate endogeneity concerns, we employ a quasi-experimental design comparing trips of EV users with those of car users who adopted an EV relatively soon after the survey, i.e. not-yet-adopters. EV adoption substantially increases car kilometers, but the size of the effect varies across space and over time. Car use rises especially on weekends and among urban households. We find no evidence for reduced cycling, walking, or public transport use, although estimates for public transport are imprecise due to low baseline usage. The additional car use by EVs may amplify accident, infrastructure, and congestion costs, underscoring the need for targeted policy action.