Balancing awareness and responsibility: Cognitive mechanisms shaping electric vehicle purchase intentions

• Awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility directly affect EV purchase intentions. • Alignment between awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility strengthens personal norms. • Environmental concern and knowledge enhance awareness of consequences. • Environmental responsibility and knowledge increase ascription of responsibility. This study aims to explore the psychological and cognitive factors influencing consumer intentions to purchase electric vehicles using the Norm Activation Model. Specifically, this study examines how awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility directly affect purchase intentions, how their balance or imbalance influences personal norms, and how environmental concern, responsibility, and knowledge impact awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility. Data were gathered from 706 participants across five major cities in Vietnam and analyzed using multiple and polynomial regression. The results show that, besides personal norms, awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility significantly affect electric vehicle purchase intentions. Moreover, alignment between awareness of consequences and ascription of responsibility strengthens personal norms, while environmental concern and knowledge enhance awareness of consequences, and environmental responsibility and knowledge increase ascription of responsibility. This study offers valuable insights for policymakers and marketers in promoting electric vehicle adoption and pro-environmental behavior.