Consumer Behavior toward Adopting Electric Vehicles

As electric vehicles (EVs) emerge as a promising solution to environmental pollution, governments and automakers are attempting various efforts to boost the EV market. However, the market share of EVs remains low and consumers are taking a wait-and-see approach to the situation. In this study, we look at consumer hesitation in the EV market and examine what behavioral factors in choosing EVs can be linked to actual purchase intention. We analyzed the model by empirically employing AMOS-based structural equation modeling analysis. The results suggested that only perceived ease-of-use affects intention-to-use of EVs in the original Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). In the extended TAM, we found the relationship of environmental belief with the intention to use EVs through injunctive norms. Additionally, intention-to-use had a significantly positive relationship to actual purchase intention. In the case of EVs, intention-to-use is directly connected to purchase intention without an attitude-behavior gap. Findings imply that governments and EV makers should utilize the consumers’ environmental beliefs better to stimulate their intention to use EVs.