Influence of cognitive and social change factors on E-vehicle switching intention: Evidence from Korea

Abstract

E-vehicles have the potential to supplant the existing internal-combustion-engine-based transportation ecosystem and be a transformational technology with a huge impact on social change. The recognition of this capacity appears to be a major factor for people who consider switching to e-vehicles; however, the process of social diffusion by which this awareness spreads and the relevant critical mass points remain unclear. Moreover, studies have demonstrated only the effects of e-vehicle acceptance intention, purchase behavior, and customer perception on determining personal subjective norms; there is a lack of systematic research clarifying the effects of other factors. This study investigates the roles of crucial social factors and personal cognitive/psychological factors by drawing on social cognitive theory and commitment to change theory. We collected data from 247 internal combustion engine vehicle owners in Korea. The results supported seven of our hypotheses. Our findings explicate the factors that have a strong, significant influence on personal e-vehicle switching intention, particularly customer factors, and our approach is potentially generalizable to other transformational technologies.