Electric Vehicle Adoption: An Integrated Utaut and Tpb Framework Analysis Among Electric Vehicle Users in Southern Leyte, Philippines

This study examined electric vehicle (EV) adoption among current and potential EV users in Southern Leyte, Philippines, using an integrated theoretical framework combining the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT) and the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB). Specifically, it investigated how key behavioral constructs — including performance expectancy, effort expectancy, hedonic motivation, habit, facilitating conditions, perceived behavioral control, subjective norm, and multiple dimensions of perceived risk — influence EV adoption intentions. The study also explored the moderating effects of demographic factors, namely age, income, and educational attainment, on the relationship between perceived behavioral control and the intention to adopt electric vehicles. A descriptive-correlational research design was employed, involving 120 validated respondents who own, operate, or drive registered electric tricycles and e-bikes for public or private transportation in Southern Leyte District 2. Data were gathered through a structured Likert-scale questionnaire and analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) via WarpPLS 8.0, with bootstrapping applied to validate the significance of relationships. Results revealed that the sample was predominantly male, working-age, middle-income, and married, with most operating a single electric vehicle. Among all constructs, habit recorded the highest perception rating, while facilitating conditions received the lowest, reflecting infrastructure gaps. Performance expectancy and social influence emerged as the primary drivers of adoption intention. Notably, the moderating effects of age, income, and educational attainment on perceived behavioral control were statistically non-significant. The study concludes that EV adoption in underserved rural communities is driven more by performance perceptions and social norms than by demographic factors. It recommends targeted infrastructure investments, community-centered enabling programs, and socially framed communication strategies to accelerate inclusive and equitable EV adoption in similar developing-region contexts.