Sustainable Mobility: Environmental Impact, Product Attributes, and Incentive Mechanisms Shaping Consumer Electric Vehicle Adoption

ABSTRACT

After decades of environmental pollution from traditional combustion engines, there is a global shift toward electric vehicles to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions. However, a crucial question remains: how can consumers be persuaded to adopt this sustainable innovation? This study investigates the impact of product attributes (i.e., instrumental, hedonic, symbolic, and environmental friendliness), personal innovativeness, and financial and non‐financial incentives on consumers' attitudes toward electric vehicles. Additionally, it examines the moderating role of personal innovativeness in the relationship between product attributes and consumers' attitudes. Moreover, the influence of consumers' attitudes, perceived behavioral control, and subjective norms on their intention to adopt EVs was also examined. Our survey results from 242 respondents show that, except for non‐financial incentives, the remaining factors, such as instrumental, symbolic, and hedonic attributes, environmental friendliness, personal innovativeness, and financial incentives, positively influence their attitudes toward electric vehicle adoption. In addition, subjective norms, attitudes, and perceived behavioral control also positively affect consumers' intentions to adopt electric vehicles. The data further show that personal innovativeness affects hedonic and environmental friendliness attributes but not instrumental and symbolic attributes in influencing consumers' attitudes. Based on empirical findings, this research offers practical insights and policy recommendations to shape consumer attitudes and promote the adoption of electric vehicles in developing countries.