From Awareness to Adoption: Examining Consumer Preferences for Electric Vehicles in Gujarat Using Structural Equation Modelling

Abstract

The swift shift towards sustainable transport has enhanced the need to comprehend the factors affecting the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) by consumers, especially in developing economies. This paper analyses the factors that influence the consumer preference of electric vehicles in Gujarat, India, using a partial least squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) framework that incorporates consumer awareness, environmental concern, government initiatives, charging infrastructure, perceived economic benefits, attitude, purchase intention and adoption preference. Quantitative cross-sectional research design was used, 450 valid respondents participated in the study, and the data were gathered using a structured questionnaire, which was founded on measurement scales that had been previously tested and validated. IBM SPSS Statistics 29 and SmartPLS 4 were used to analyse the proposed model. The results suggest that consumer awareness and environmental concern play a significant role in improving consumer attitudes towards electric cars, whereas government initiatives, charging infrastructure, perceived economic benefits, and attitude have a positive effect on purchase intention. Purchase intention proved to be the most important predictor of adoption preference, which confirmed its key position in the process of electric vehicle adoption by consumers. Moreover, attitude was discovered to partly moderate the association between consumer awareness and purchase intention, which proves the relevance of positive consumer perceptions in converting awareness to behavioural intention. The research draws upon the Theory of Planned Behaviour by incorporating the determinants of behaviour, economics, infrastructures, and policy-related determinants into a single framework. The results have practical implications for policymakers, car manufacturers, and marketers to develop effective awareness campaigns, reinforce financial incentives, and increase charging networks to boost the uptake of electric vehicles in Gujarat and other emerging economies.