The Role of Co-design Processes in Location Planning for Electric Vehicle Charging Stations

Today, more than ever, sustainability is a goal that can no longer be postponed. In recent years, environmental and mobility issues have gained prominence not only at the political level but also at the level of public opinion. For example, the European Council endorsed the critical goal of becoming climate-neutral by 2050 and reducing greenhouse gas emissions by at least 55% by 2030. National-level plans and programs, including long-term ones, have been started in many states to incentivize more sustainable mobility policies and thus limit environmental impacts on the community. These include incentives for electric vehicles, which, unlike traditional internal combustion engines, are characterized by zero local emissions. From this perspective, research on optimizing the location of electric vehicle charging facilities is considered a growing field that needs to take into account issues such as (i) urban planning, (ii) network planning, (iii) user demand, and (iv) types of charging facilities. This optimization action involves multiple public and private stakeholders and a plurality of decision-making areas since implementing a charging infrastructure requires significant investment. Today, most design and decision-making approaches are based on studies, analyses, and assessments of the spatial context as a function of transportation demand, while the user's point of view is not often considered in urban design, planning, and location studies related to public infrastructure. This paper proposes a new approach in which the user plays a vital role in energy-recharging infrastructure design, planning, and location. Said approach provides greater transparency to decision-making and allows for increased user participation, pursuing more inclusive and sustainable models. These models can also virtuously influence (i) driving behavior, (ii) the diffusion of more shared locations of electric vehicle charging infrastructure, (ii) the acceptance of such stations as a common good, and (iv) an increased environmental awareness of the general public. Within this theoretical framework, the paper aims to explore some design best practices capable of addressing new policies and new design scenarios aimed at an expanded system of stakeholders and community holders.