Energetics, along with its partners the Clean Cities Coalition, ChargePoint, and Sawatch Labs, is collecting real-world use data from plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) to inform future research and deployment planning. This research is being funded by the US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy under the Vehicle Technologies Office Award Number DE-EE0008890.

As a PEV driver, you are being asked to participate in this research so that Energetics can gather information from approximately 1,600 PEVs representing diverse vehicle sizes, types, settings, and operating conditions. To participate in this study, you must be at least eighteen years old and the registered owner of the PEV to which the telematics device will be self-installed. Data will be collected by Sawatch Labs and Energetics via a GeoTab Telematics Device.

• Someone can further explain this research study to you, if requested.
• Whether or not you take part is up to you.
• You can choose not to take part.
• You can agree to take part and later change your mind.
• Your decision will not be held against you.
• You can ask all the questions you want before you decide.

The US transportation system is moving toward electrification, with PEV adoption on the rise. This trend has created a need for up-to-date national data on this technology. EV WATTS datasets and analysis will be used to improve the understanding of PEV use and performance, specifically charging and driving patterns as well as vehicle and infrastructure performance. This knowledge informs decision making for multiple stakeholders: manufacturers, consumers, charging station hosts, and researchers.

The goals of this project are: I. Provide PEV data and electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE) or charging station data (with all Personal Identifiable Information removed) that augments existing US Department of Energy datasets; II. Develop and regularly share high-level data summaries that provide stakeholders and the public with a snapshot of current PEV and EVSE operations and trends; and III. Apply data analytics to answer the project’s key research questions, designed with industry expert panel input, and provide new insights on PEV and EVSE uses that will inform the next generation of policies and investments.

We will collect data from your vehicle’s telematic device for twelve months. During or immediately after the twelve-month data collection period, we may ask you to participate in brief follow up surveys and/or interviews.

Energetics project partner Sawatch Labs will provide you with a telematics device and facilitate installation. Once the device is installed, you will drive and charge your car as you would normally. You will have access to all data collected by the telematics device through the GeoTab portal. After your twelve-month data collection period has ended, the device will be automatically turned off remotely, however you may contact Sawatch Labs to continue collecting data for your own use if you so choose. While there is no cost associated with participating in the study, Sawatch Labs will charge for continued data collection after the twelve-month period has ended.

During your usage of the provided telematics device, information will be collected from the installed device to support the study, which will consist of electric vehicle charging characteristics and usage data, however it may also include information considered to be Personal Protected Information, including but not limited to, first name, last name, geographical address, electronic address, cellular phone number or other contact information. Energetics and its subcontractors are taking reasonable precautions to protect all data being collected and no personal identifiable information will be disclosed in any publicly shared results, but by participating you are assuming the risk that there could be a data breach involving Personal Protected Information.

We cannot promise any benefits to you or others from taking part in this research.  However, possible benefits include better understanding your driving habits and providing data that may be useful when making your transportation and travel decisions. The results of this study will help inform future research, policy, and programs as it relates to vehicle electrification.

Participation in research is completely voluntary. You can decide to participate or not to participate.

If you have questions, concerns, complaints, or think the research has hurt you, talk to the research team at Energetics: evwatts@energetics.com or (315) 749-9930.

This research has been reviewed and approved by the CDOEIRB.  You may talk to them at (865) 574-4359 or CDOEIRB@orau.org, if:
• Your questions, concerns, or complaints are not being answered by the research team.
• You cannot reach the research team.
• You want to talk to someone besides the research team.
• You have questions about your rights as a research subject.
• You want to get information or provide input about this research.
• Or for any reason you wish to talk to the CDOEIRB.

If you want to know more about the program, visit the DOE Human Subjects Protection Program website at https://science.osti.gov/ber/human-subjects.