Fair Charging, Shared Streets
Research by Milan Tamis shows how trust, norms, and everyday choices help neighbours share public EV charging points fairly, informing smarter urban policy and community solutions.
PhD researcher earned his doctorate at Eindhoven University of Technology with research that looks beyond technology to people, behaviour, and everyday choices.
From the Technology, Innovation & Society group of the department of Industrial Engineering and Innovation Sciences, his work shows how social behaviour determines how shared EV charging actually works in residential streets.
Everyday Tension
Public residential charging points are essential for electric vehicle drivers without private driveways. These charging points are shared resources, where one person鈥檚 decision directly affects another鈥檚 ability to charge and get to work, school, or care responsibilities the next day.
Hidden Patterns
Tamis studied how EV drivers interact with each other, and the charging points themselves. His research within the Technology, Innovation & Society group TIS reveals that charging behaviour can be prosocial or antisocial, intentional or unintentional, shaped by the social context .
Norms Matter
One behaviour stands out as a shared expectation: moving the car once charging is complete. This injunctive norm increases the number of successful charging sessions, especially when demand is high. It shows how small actions can ease collective pressure on limited infrastructure.
Talking Helps
Communication between neighbours turns out to be rare, yet powerful. Agreements about charging times or simple messages can significantly improve access. Many drivers are willing to coordinate, when trust and a sense of shared dependence are present.
Policy Reality
Municipalities and charging point operators often focus on hardware and pricing. Tamis shows that policies ignoring social behaviour miss a key part of the system. Accounting for trust, norms, and cooperation can make existing infrastructure work better without adding more chargers immediately.
Broader Impact
As cities worldwide scale up electric mobility, they face similar challenges of shared resources. This research helps society learn how residents can coordinate fairly, supporting cleaner transport while reducing frustration at the curb.
Milan Tamis defended his thesis on May 27, 2026.
Title of the thesis: .
Supervisors: Floor Alkemade, (TU Delft), (HVA).