As electric vehicles (EVs) become increasingly prevalent, understanding drivers’ inter-
actions with range and their charging behavior is crucial for supporting optimal system
design and adoption. The present study investigates the link of technology-related
driver characteristics, such as affinity for technology interaction (ATI), to range inter-
action and charging behavior and explores how driving experience with EVs impacts
drivers’ comfortable range. Two online surveys (NS1 = 205, NS2 = 57) were conducted,
focusing on range interaction and charging behavior. Results revealed that drivers
with higher ATI tend to have higher comfortable range values, and this relationship is
mediated by subjective range competence (SRC). Additionally, drivers who base their
charging decisions on their preferred charge level are likely to have already experi-
enced lower displayed remaining range values, suggesting potentially more efficient
battery utilization. These findings suggest the importance of considering personality
variables and charging behavior patterns in promoting efficient EV usage. Moreover,
we found that most drivers in our sample mainly charge at home, and there is still
a large proportion of drivers who do little to no public charging. Strategies focus-
ing on enhancing drivers’ SRC and addressing individual differences, particularly in
technology-related variables, could help to better cope with situations involving range
stress and bridge the gap between technical and comfortable range.