Towards the adoption of green freight transport practices in developing countries: Analysis of owner-operators' behavior on electric trucks

Freight transport is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and transitioning to electric trucks is crucial for achieving sustainable logistics, particularly in developing countries. However, the fragmentation of the truck market, especially the dominance of owner-operators who own a small number of trucks or even a single truck, presents unique challenges for electric truck adoption. This study investigates the acceptance and adoption behavior of electric trucks among truck owner-operators in Vietnam, utilizing an extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). A structured questionnaire was distributed to 400 owner-operators in Hanoi, resulting in 219 valid responses. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) was employed to examine the effects of psychological factors on adoption intentions. The findings reveal that Perceived Risk has the most substantial negative influence, while Financial Policies, Attitude, and Knowledge positively affect intention to adopt electric trucks. Notably, the extended TAM, which includes Perceived Risk, Knowledge, and Financial Incentives, explains 80.22 % of the variance in adoption intention, an improvement over the original model. The study contributes new insights into electric truck adoption in nascent markets, highlighting that owner-operators are pragmatic decision-makers influenced not only by environmental benefits but also by financial and operational factors. These findings provide actionable implications for policymakers and manufacturers seeking to accelerate the adoption of electric trucks through tailored incentives and infrastructure improvements. • Psychological factors play significant roles in whether truck owner-operators choose electric trucks. • Extended TAM applied to 219 Vietnamese truck owner-operators to analyze electric truck adoption behavior. • Perceived Risk strongly discourages adoption, while Financial Policies, Attitude, and Knowledge increase intention.