Human factors and political price regulations to enhance electric vehicle miles traveled

Abstract

A shift to electric vehicles is necessary for transport decarbonization and requires the consideration of human factors in the design of political regulations. By applying the Theory of Planned Behavior this research identifies key motivational determinants of the decision to state a higher share of electric vehicle miles traveled. In a stated adaptation experiment, respondents were confronted with new price regulations and could adapt all mobility tools in their household, e.g. include an electric vehicle, and specify the annual vehicle miles traveled. The results of a structural equation model on data of 424 respondents show that the stated proportion of electric vehicle miles traveled is higher with a person’s greater intention to buy an electric vehicle, while the intention itself is predicted by a person’s attitude, subjective norm, and perceived behavior control of buying an electric vehicle.