Promoting sustainable mobility: A multi-theoretical exploration of attitude-behavior dynamics and consumption value in electric vehicle adoption in India

With the growing urgency of climate change, automobile manufacturers are increasingly transitioning from gasoline-powered vehicles to Electric Vehicles (EVs) to meet the global demand for cleaner technology. However, despite financial incentives and regulatory efforts, EV adoption in developing nations remains sluggish, hindering progress toward sustainable mobility. This study introduces a composite socio-psychological model integrating the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB), Value-Attitude-Behaviour (VAB) Hierarchy, and the Theory of Consumption Values (TCV) to examine EV adoption in India. This integrated approach bridges behavioral intention, value-linked antecedents, and contextual consumption trade-offs, offering a comprehensive framework for understanding EV adoption. Because of the complexity of the proposed model, non-normality requirements, and non-linearity constraints, the study employs Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) Warp-PLS 8.0 on 626 clean samples. Key factors influencing EV adoption include maintenance and battery replacement costs (MBRC) and vehicle performance (VP), highlighting their role in shaping consumer intention. Additionally, government incentive policies (GP) and on-demand charging facilities (ODCF) are significant moderating variables, further facilitating the shift toward eco-friendly transportation. Introducing on-demand charging facilities as a new contextual factor demonstrated strong moderating potential to accelerate EV adoption. By developing an advanced socio-psychological model, this study offers actionable insights for enhancing EV diffusion and promoting sustainability. Confirmatory composite analysis (CCA) strengthens the model's reliability, reinforcing its contribution to environmental sustainability and cleaner mobility solutions. • Proposed a new theoretical model based on VAB hierarchy, theory of consumption value, and theory of planned behavior. • Tested functional value-added factors like Maintenance & battery replacement cost and Vehicle performance tested for their impact on the intention to adopt EV. • Assessed social value factors like government policy for its moderation effect towards EV adoption. • Introduced a new "Non-Linear Modified Value-Attitude-Intention" model for EV adoption behaviour. • Used Confirmatory Composite analysis to ensure validity, reliability, and model robustness.