Electric vehicle, so what? Understanding non-electric vehicle owners’ decision postponement and resistance in the emerging market
Tosin Tiamiyu, Pei-Shan Soon, Izian IdrisPurpose
Grounded in the cognitive-affective behaviour (CAB) model, this study aims to integrate negative bias theory (NBT) and selective exposure theory (SET) to examine the nuanced impacts of information overload and price unfairness on the consumer avoidance intention and decision postponement of electric vehicles (EVs), while also considering the mediating role of pessimism in the relationship between the endogenous and exogenous constructs, addressing a gap in existing research on carbon reduction targets (SDG 7 and SDG 13).
Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected from n = 365 non-EV users/owners from different automobile brands in an emerging market. Partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyse the sample data and test the hypotheses.
Findings
The findings reveal that information overload and price unfairness directly promote consumer avoidance intention and decision postponement of EVs, with pessimism significantly mediating these links.
Practical implications
By providing clear and actionable insights, this study supports the automobile industry in effectively addressing the needs of potential EV consumers. Simultaneously, it serves as a reference point for comprehending consumer reluctance and deferred decision-making processes concerning EV adoption.
Originality/value
Focusing on the integrated model, the findings serve as a starting point for investigating consumers’ intention to avoid and decide to postpone EVs theoretically and empirically.