The role of environmental concern in forming intentions for switching to electric scooters

Abstract

Despite the growing market share of electric scooter-style motorcycles (e-scooters), only limited insight into the role of environmental concern with respect to their adoption is available. The purpose of this study was to investigate the psychological and contextual factors that associate with a switch from fossil fuel scooters to e-scooters. To model these factors, we conducted two studies in Taiwan. In Study 1, we elicited context-specific reasons for and against purchasing an e-scooter in a series of semi-structured interviews. In Study 2, we analyzed data from a survey among consumers (N = 320) using structural equation modelling. We consider the most important reasons from Study 1 together with environmental concerns (egoistic, altruistic, biospheric) in their relationship with intentions to switch to an e-scooter using the framework of Behavioral Reasoning Theory (BRT). In doing so, we provide unique insights for marketers and policymakers who seek to encourage the switch to this more sustainable form of mobility. We found environmental concerns among users of fossil-fueled scooters to be associated with attitude toward as well as reasons for and against switching to an e-scooter. But only a biospheric concern appeared to relate to both reason types and attitude, whereas egoistic and altruistic concerns only associated with reasons for the switch. The study also provides researchers and marketers in the e-scooter industry with a framework for understanding the role of environmental concern and contextual factors on purchase intention for a sustainable mobility product.