Electric vehicles (EVs) are one of the ways to achieve sustainable transportation innovation, and in the long term, they will become an inevitable alternative rather than a choice in the market. Due to the social and economic value of electric vehicle...
Electric vehicles (EVs) are one of the ways to achieve sustainable transportation innovation, and in the long term, they will become an inevitable alternative rather than a choice in the market. Due to the social and economic value of electric vehicles, which are innovative products with new technologies and environmental benefits, previous studies have focused on the environmental performance of electric vehicles and the environmental awareness of consumers. This study examines consumer acceptance of EVs from the perspective of innovation adoption. Considering individual domain-specific innovativeness, it investigates how consumers’ technological motivation for cars, mediated by subjective knowledge and perceived ease of use, influences the purchase intention of EVs.
218 participants who either personally owned a car or had a household with a car, and identified themselves as the primary users of the vehicle particapated in the survey conducted for data collection. To ensure a balanced representation of experiences with eco-friendly vehicles, the sample was constructed without bias towards specific conditions. Measurement items for research variables were derived from prior studies, modified to fit the context of this study, and verified for their reliability and validity. Additionally, the study controlled for consumers’ perceptions of the adequacy of EVs driving range and charging infrastructure.
The research findings indicated that consumers with a high technological motivation tend to make more active efforts to use and experience new technologies, leading to a deeper understanding of EVs. This increased subjective knowledge was found to have a positive impact on the purchase intention of EVs. Subjective knowledge was shown to increase the perceived ease of use of EVs, sequentially mediating the relationship between technological motivation and the purchase intention of EVs. In other words, the high level of technological interest of consumers in the automotive domain is expected to increase their subjective knowledge about EVs. This increased knowledge is perceived to reduce the risks associated with EVs usage and create a perceptions that EVs can be easily learned and used. Ultimately, this positive perception influences the intention to purchase EVs favorably.
This study holds theoretical significance in two aspects: first, It has addressed EVs by focusing on their perspective as products grounded in innovative new technologies, rather than emphasizing their environmental performance. Second, the study has taken into account consumers’ technological motivations within the automotive domain, not just their general innovative tendencies. The study’s implications extend to the adoption of alternative mobility solutions powered by electricity, particularly offering insights for promoting drone use as Urban Air Mobility (UAM). It also suggests future research directions that consider the multifaceted perception of risks associated with UAM usage in the general consumer acceptance of UAM. When consumers accumulate sufficient knowledge related to drone usage, including facilities for battery charging, they are likely to perceive the risks of UAM as low and find it easy to use. Therefore, providing opportunities for diverse experiences can facilitate consumer adoption.