Predicting Adoption Intention of Electric Vehicles: Mediating Effect of Attitude

Environmental pollution remains a global problem at present. One of the main sources of air pollution is toxic emissions from traditional vehicles powered by fossil fuels. Electric vehicles (EVs) are aggressively promoted globally to resolve environmental concerns, minimize the after-effects of emissions and reduce dependency on fossil fuels. Greenhouse emissions and fuel usage in transportation may be greatly reduced by EVs. Thus, the objective of this research is to identify the variables affecting Indian consumers’ intentions to adopt EVs by utilizing an enhanced version of the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology with an additional variable, trust. The mediating role of attitude was assessed to predict the adoption intentions of EVs. Data were gathered from 418 respondents using a standardized questionnaire. Variance-based structural equation modelling was employed to validate the suggested theoretical framework. The results revealed that trust is the second most significant construct that influences the adoption intentions of EVs after attitude, followed by performance expectancy and social influence. It is confirmed that attitude partially mediates the impact of trust, performance expectancy and social influence on EV adoption intention, whereas attitude is found to fully mediate the relation between facilitating conditions and EV adoption intention. Therefore, it is critical that EV makers actively promote sustainable consumption to spur future market expansion. The implications of the study are relevant for marketers and manufacturers of the EV industry that will help them in refining marketing strategies and disseminating information to the potential buyers for faster adoption of EVs.