Adopting Electric Motorcycles for Ride-Hailing Services: Influential Factors from Driver’s Perspective

Abstract

Recently, the Indonesian government has been increasingly encouraging the population to utilize electric vehicles. In the public transportation sector, including ride-hailing services, the use of electric vehicles, especially motorcycles, is promoted. This study aims to explore the willingness to adopt electric motorcycles among ride-hailing drivers by specifying the preference for buying or renting in adopting electric motorcycles. Using a stated preference method, an interview survey was conducted on 416 ride-hailing drivers in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Nine variables were tested to understand the determinants of electric motorcycle adoption, including purchase or rental costs, cost for motorcycle title transfer, fuel price, maximum coverage distance, maximum speed, the distance between battery exchange stations, annual tax, and credit payment. By using the ordered logit model, the results revealed two variables affecting the purchase of electric motorcycles: purchase price and maximum coverage distance. Meanwhile, four variables significantly influenced the determination of electric motorcycle rental: coverage distance, fuel price, rental fees, and the distance between battery exchange stations. Sociodemographic variables also significantly affect the decision to rent but not purchase electric motorcycles. Meanwhile, full-time drivers and students who work part-time as drivers are more likely to rent electric motorcycles. This study also found that renting electric motorcycles had a better likelihood of adoption than owning them. Finally, several policies were proposed to boost the adoption of electric motorcycles among ride-hailing drivers, including subsidy provisions, technology improvement, and priority provisions for drivers who use electric motorcycles.