FAQ
Q: If I join the Triton Chargers, what do I have to do, exactly?
A: When you enroll to be a Triton Charger, you are signing up to be a research subject in the SCALedEV project. The project is a series of four randomized controlled trials in which we will send you information about your charging options or offer you rebates for charging on campus and then observe how charging decisions shift.
For you, this involves:
- An initial enrollment survey (25 questions) where you will provide your PowerFlex and ChargePoint ID numbers, and brief (3 question) follow-ups twice per month
- A digital consent form allowing us to access data on your EV charging sessions (e.g. plug-in and out times, energy use, etc.).
- Agreeing to receive, at most, one email and one text message per week with information about charging options or rebates.
You will also occasionally be invited to participate in new or additional studies related to EV charging, with no requirement or expectation that you do so.
Q: What is the timeline of Triton Chargers research activities?
A: The SCALedEV project is planned to last for about one academic year, from Spring 2023 through Spring 2024. Recruitment will remain open through at least Summer 2023. The first of four randomized controlled trials will likely begin in Spring 2023 and last for 1-3 months each, with a pause during the Summer months.
Q: Why are there two EV clubs on campus?
A: The Triton Chargers are a club of EV drivers who participate in research, providing key information about how drivers interact with the charging network to inform peer reviewed scientific research conducted by UC San Diego faculty. All research activities are approved by the campus Institutional Review Board, which oversees human subjects research.
The campus EV Charging Club, run by UCSD Transportation Services, is purely operational. It provides extra benefits like discounts to UCSD affiliates who use our campus network (as opposed to the general public), and clearer lines of communication between campus operations staff and you—the customers they serve.
For your convenience, the research and operations teams have worked hard to streamline enrollment processes as much as possible.
The campus EV Charging Club, run by UCSD Transportation Services, is purely operational. It provides extra benefits like discounts to UCSD affiliates who use our campus network (as opposed to the general public), and clearer lines of communication between campus operations staff and you—the customers they serve.
For your convenience, the research and operations teams have worked hard to streamline enrollment processes as much as possible.
Q: I’m nervous about giving access to my charging data. How can I be sure it is safe and I stay anonymous?
A: Our study protocol has been reviewed by the campus Institutional Review Board, which oversees human subjects research, and includes strong protections for your data and anonymity. To protect confidentiality, we will store all data securely and identify you only by an anonymous unique ID number. We will collect only necessary personal identifiers, including your name and email, and we will store those identifiers separately in a password protected spreadsheet accessible only by the two Principal Investigators.