Do consumers think about green transport when buying cars? Results from an empirical study

Abstract

25% of the European CO2 emissions originate from the transport sector, with the Green Deal aiming to cut transport-related emissions by 90% by 2050. One pillar is the awareness of consumers about the role of transport in purchasing decisions. We investigate the role of green transport when purchasing cars from a consumers’ perspective and found that fewer people think about green logistics when buying cars than in other areas of consumption, such as food and clothes. Consumers rate green transport less important when buying cars than other criteria such as appearance or price. There is a higher willingness to pay and acceptance of longer waiting times for an eco-friendly transported car. We found that women have a significantly higher acceptance of eco-friendly measures than men. The results suggest that awareness of green transport must be created and communicated transparently.