Social influence in the global diffusion of alternative fuel vehicles – A meta-analysis (original) (raw)
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Adoption of alternative fuel vehicles: Influence from neighbors, family and coworkers
Transportation Research Part D: Transport and Environment
During the last years, many governments have set targets for increasing the share of biofuels in the transportation sector. Understanding consumer behavior is essential in designing policies that efficiently increase the uptake of cleaner technologies. In this paper we analyze adopters and non-adopters of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). We use diffusion of innovation theory and the established notion that the social system and interpersonal influence play important roles in adoption. Based on a nationwide database of car owners we analyze interpersonal influence on adoption from three social domains: neighbors, family and coworkers. The results point primarily at a neighbor effect in that AFV adoption is more likely if neighbors also have adopted. The results also point at significant effects of interpersonal influence from coworkers and family members but these effects weaken or disappear when income, education level, marriage, age, gender and green party votes are controlled for. The results extend the diffusion of innovation and AFV literature with empirical support for interpersonal influence based on objective data where response bias is not a factor. Implications for further research, environmental and transport policy, and practitioners are discussed.
Modelling social influence and cultural variation in global low-carbon vehicle transitions
Global Environmental Change
We present a unique and transparent approach for incorporating social influence effects into global integrated assessment models used to analyse climate change mitigation. We draw conceptually on Rogers (2003) diffusion of innovations, introducing heterogeneous and interconnected consumers who vary in their aversion to new technologies. Focussing on vehicle choice, we conduct novel empirical research to parameterise consumer risk aversion and how this is shaped by social and cultural influences. We find robust evidence for social influence effects, and variation between countries as a function of cultural differences. We then formulate an approach to modelling social influence which is implementable in both simulation and optimisation-type models. We use two global integrated assessment models (IMAGE and MESSAGE) to analyse four scenarios that introduce social influence and cultural differences between regions. These scenarios allow us to explore the interactions between consumer preferences and social influence. We find that incorporating social influence effects into global models accelerates the early deployment of electric vehicles and stimulates more widespread deployment across adopter groups. Incorporating cultural variation leads to significant differences in deployment between culturally divergent regions such as the USA and China. Our analysis significantly extends the ability of global integrated assessment models to provide policy-relevant analysis grounded in real world processes. Highlights A formulation for adding social influences into global transport models is proposed This draws together strong conceptual thinking with robust empirical evidence Adding social influences speeds up the diffusion of alternative fuel vehicles And varied according to cultural differences between model countries/regions Keywords Social influence, behavioural realism, vehicle choice, AFV This work was funded by European Union's Seventh Programme for research, technological development and demonstration under grant agreement number. 308329
2007
The adoption of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) has been regarded as one of the most important strategies to address the issues of energy dependence, air quality, and, more recently, climate change. Despite decades of effort, we still face daunting challenges to promote wider acceptance of AFVs by the general public. More empirical analyses are needed to understand the technology adoption process associated with different market structures, the effectiveness of regulations and incentives, and the density of infrastructure adequate to reach sustainable commercial application. This paper compares the adoption of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in eight countries: Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Italy, New Zealand, Pakistan, and the US. It examines the major policies aimed at promoting the use of NGVs, instruments for implementing those policies and targeting likely stakeholders, and a range of factors that influence the adoption of NGVs. The findings in this paper should be applicable t...
An empirical analysis on the adoption of alternative fuel vehicles: The case of natural gas vehicles
Energy Policy, 2007
The adoption of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) has been regarded as one of the most important strategies to address the issues of energy dependence, air quality, and, more recently, climate change. Despite decades of effort, we still face daunting challenges to promote wider acceptance of AFVs by the general public. More empirical analyses are needed to understand the technology adoption process associated with different market structures, the effectiveness of regulations and incentives, and the density of infrastructure adequate to reach sustainable commercial application. This paper compares the adoption of natural gas vehicles (NGVs) in eight countries: Argentina,
Ecological Economics, 2013
We investigate the roles of social influence in the formation of consumer perceptions and preferences for pro-environmental technologies, using the example of battery electric vehicles (BEVs). The context was a technology-based workplace in the U.K. with around 500 members of staff, 57 of whom took part in a BEV experience project in 2010. Several months later, we recruited a diverse sample of 21 staff to complete semistructured interviews. Following a multi-method approach, we elicited details about their perceptions and valuation of BEVs, experiences with BEVs, and social interactions relating to BEVs. Participants reported a wide variety of perceptions of BEV attributes, including environmental benefits and functional drawbacks. The majority of participants indicated that their BEV perceptions were "highly influenced" by at least one social interaction. We use the reflexive layers of influence conceptual framework to categorize social influence according to three processes: diffusion, the sharing of BEV-related information; translation, the discussion of uncertain BEV benefits and drawbacks; and reflexivity, the relating of BEV technology to self-concept. Findings suggest that participant perceptions change in part through social negotiation of meaning, lifestyle and identity. Neglect of social influence processes will underestimate the potential for shifts in consumer preferences regarding emerging pro-environmental technologies.
Psychological Drivers of Alternative Fuel Vehicles' Adoption and Ecologically Responsible Use
Global warming, 2021
Environmental problems caused by global warming are becoming alarming with every passing day. To curb greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions, promoting alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) and sustainable transport mode choices is critical. is study explores the predictors of eco-social purchase, use, and conservation intentions in a developing country by employing an extended model of the theory of planned behaviour (TPB). Using a self-administered survey technique, data were collected from a nationally representative sample of 1372 customers of three leading automobile manufacturers from eight big cities of Pakistan. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was applied to test the measurement and structural models. Results showed that the extended model of TPB received support in the context of Pakistani culture and for the targeted behaviours related to ecosocial purchase, use, and conservation intentions concerning AFVs. Implications for marketers and theoretical contribution are discussed at the end.
Diffusion Analysis of the Emerging Market for Low Emission Vehicles
2012
A large degree of public and private funding is being allocated to accelerating the introduction of Low Emission powertrains for passenger cars, especially plug-in Hybrid and Pure Battery Electric Vehicles (EVs). If these new vehicles are to make a significant contribution towards moving the UK to a more sustainable personal transportation system, a detailed understanding of the likely consumer demand for them is a fundamental requirement. The success of these new vehicles will be as much dependent on their desirability to customers as to their technical ability. This paper draws upon Roger"s Diffusion of Innovation Theory to understand the potential importance of consumer "innovativeness" as a pre-cursor to at least the early adoption of new vehicle technology. It presents preliminary results from an extended household pilot self completion survey conducted in Aberdeen City which respondents were asked questions relating to both conventional vehicles and Low Emission Vehicles (e.g. electric powertrains). These questions included aspects of Consumer Culture Theory in addition to an innovation scale that covers the three main variations of innovativeness that have been identified in the literature: (1) personality and communication traits (also referred to as innate innovativeness), (2) adoptive innovativeness that has further been segmented into (a) general adoption of consumer technology and (b) specific preferences towards Low Emission Vehicles. The results will be presented using Factor and Correlation analysis and will aim to understand the relative importance of the constructs with respect to consumer preference towards Low Emission Vehicles. Our findings suggest that innovativeness can be measured both through adoptive behaviour, psychological inclination and communication activity with these 3 constructs showing a degree of interaction. It proved more challenging to identify interactions between these 3 constructs and the local measure of innovativeness in the LEV market suggesting that innovative behaviour has yet to be "switched on" in this setting.
Hybrid Car Purchase Intentions: A Cross-Cultural Analysis
Purpose -This paper aims to compare US and Korean consumers' intentions to purchase a high involvement, environmentally friendly product: the hybrid car. Design/methodology/approach -The paper examines how social factors and culture shape intentions to purchase a hybrid car using survey data from 1,083 US drivers and 783 Korean drivers. Findings -The paper shows that self-image congruence and propensity to seek information about green products have strong positive relationships with intentions to purchase a hybrid car among consumers from both countries. Perceived social value associated with the consumption of hybrid cars also has a strong positive relationship with intentions to purchase a hybrid car among Korean and, contrary to expectations, US consumers. In contrast, social value associated with green products, in general, has a negative relationship with US consumer hybrid purchase intentions.
Sustainability, 2021
Environmental problems are escalating. Alternate fuel vehicles are a technologically viable solution to curb transport-related pollution and greenhouse gas emissions that cause environmental problems. Based on the theory of norms-driven behavior, this study explains how the underlying facets of subjective social norms (injunctive and descriptive) are linked with personal norms (integrated and introjected) and how this linkage leads to eco-socially conscious consumer behavior related to the choice and use of personal cars. Data were collected from 687 automobile customers from eight large cities in Pakistan. The partial least squares structural equation modeling approach was employed to test the hypothesized relationships of the study. The results showed that subjective norms are positively associated with personal norms, and both together lead to eco-socially conscious consumers’ behavior related to the choice and use of personal cars. Implications for marketers are suggested to pro...
A comprehensive socio-psychological approach to car type choice
Journal of Environmental Psychology, 2014
Data from a web survey, which was conducted in 2012 among 1421 owners of a new internal combustion engine car and 372 new battery electric car owners in Norway, were used to test an adapted version of the comprehensive action determination model to explain private consumers' purchase of fuel-efficient cars. It was first examined whether the average fuel efficiency differs among internal combustion engine car classes. Consequently, with battery electric cars being regarded as the most fuel-efficient group, five car groups ordered by fuel efficiency were retained. The results of subsequent structural equation modelling show that intention to buy a fuel-efficient car, brand loyalty, number of cars and driver's license holders in the household, household size, and household income had significant direct effects on choosing a more fuel-efficient car. Normative processes had a mediated impact on behaviour. Implications for design and implementation of interventions are discussed.