Behavioral intentions of an electric vehicle purchase

: impact of different factors on the purchase behavior of an electric vehicle of german consumers

Abstract

Demand for electric vehicles has grown rapidly in recent years. One of the main drivers of the increase in demand is the environmental damage owed to traffic. This is because the environment is harmed by the carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions caused by a vehicle without an alternative drive system, like vehicles with a petrol engine. The problem is also well known in Germany. As a measure to reduce CO2 emissions in road traffic, the German government offers incentives in the form of monetary subsidies. Such incentives aim to motivate consumers to purchase an electric vehicle in order to reduce environmental pollution. This dissertation will investigate which factors motivate German consumers to purchase such an electric vehicle. As a tool, this study used the theory of planned behavior (TPB) by Ajzen (1991) after it was extended by Shalender & Sharma (2020) and adapted to the aims of this study. The extension added the predictors of moral norm and environmental concerns to TPB’s variables: attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavioral control. Findings of this study show a significant effect of the five mentioned predictors on purchase behavior. Thus, this research suggests it is important to consider these factors when developing interventions to increase electric vehicle purchase.

Date of Award	2 Feb 2022
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Cristina Soares Pacheco Mendonça (Supervisor)