Increasing Electric Vehicle Uptake by Updating Public Policies to Shift Attitudes and Perceptions: Case Study of New Zealand

Gail Helen Broadbent,Graciela Isabel Metternicht,Thomas Oliver Wiedmann

doi:10.3390/en14102920

Gail Helen Broadbent, Graciela Isabel Metternicht + Show 1 more

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https://doi.org/10.3390/en14102920

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Journal: Energies	Publication Date: May 18, 2021
Citations: 24	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: Environmental Earth Sciences, UNSW Sydney

Abstract

Actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions are required from all actors. Adopting plug-in electric vehicles (EV) would reduce light motor vehicle travel emissions, a significant and rising emissions source. To encourage EV uptake, many governments have implemented policies which may be less effective than desired. Using New Zealand as a case study, we surveyed private motorists. The results show that consumers are heterogeneous, with varying car-buying motivations, perceptions, attitudes to EVs and awareness of policies. Uniquely, we segmented motorists into four attitudinal groups to ascertain characteristics potentially affecting EV readiness to provide evidence to improve policies and aid social marketing. Our results show the next-most-ready to buy EVs are early mainstream consumers—designated the EV Positives—who were most concerned about vehicle range, perceptions of EV expense, charging-related inconvenience and the unknown value proposition of batteries, and were relatively unaware of incentives compared to EV Owners. The EV Positives favored incentives designed to effect purchase price reductions and increase nation-wide fast-charger deployment. To increase awareness of EVs and shift perceptions of EV expense and inconvenience, we suggest policies that potentially increase EV adoption rates and suggest reframing the language to appeal to EV Positives through information programs. Increasing EV procurement by organizations could increase opportunities for positive information dissemination via employees.

Highlights

Climate change requires consumer acceptance of government policies aiming to reduce transport emissions, but in free market economies, it needs consumer action
Research using various scenarios [1] has indicated that motor vehicle emissions can be reduced, which is achievable in most countries [2], and one action private motorists could take is to buy a plug-in electric vehicle (EV) the time they buy a car [3]
Previous research has identified that consumer demand for EVs is affected by six key factors: (1) Government Actions that set policies affect consumer behavior [10,13] for example by changing taxes that apply to EVs; (2) Vehicle Attributes, including purchase price, range and fast charger availability, affect consumer uptake [20,21]; (3) Consumer Attitude and World View can be affected by an individual’s values, their family and friends, society and the media [22]; (4) Perceptions and Symbolism of EVs can be affected by many factors, including advertising that targets consumer emotions, needs and desires [23], while cars can have symbolic meaning and confer status [24]; (5) Social Marketing can be used to effect social change [25] and achieve socially desirable goals [26]; and (6) Innovation Adoption processes

Summary

Introduction

Climate change requires consumer acceptance of government policies aiming to reduce transport emissions, but in free market economies, it needs consumer action. Previous research has identified that consumer demand for EVs is affected by six key factors: (1) Government Actions that set policies affect consumer behavior [10,13] for example by changing taxes that apply to EVs; (2) Vehicle Attributes, including purchase price, range and fast charger availability, affect consumer uptake [20,21]; (3) Consumer Attitude and World View can be affected by an individual’s values, their family and friends, society and the media [22]; (4) Perceptions and Symbolism of EVs can be affected by many factors, including advertising that targets consumer emotions, needs and desires [23], while cars can have symbolic meaning and confer status [24]; (5) Social Marketing can be used to effect social change [25] and achieve socially desirable goals [26]; and (6) Innovation Adoption processes The latter indicate that for successful diffusion, an innovation that has acceptable attributes requires adequate information about it being transmitted via relevant communication channels, for example person to person, over time through a social system, and that the innovation is consistent with someone’s values, experiences and needs [27]. The aforementioned factors indicate that when designing policies to promote EVs, consideration should be given to these criteria: that EVs satisfy economic and convenience/utility measures, crucial for many consumers, and attentiveness to their attitudes, values and perceptions, which are important influences on their purchasing behavior [28,29,30]

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