Psychosocial Traits Characterizing EV Adopters’ Profiles: The Case of Tenerife (Canary Islands)

Abstract

Abstract:The aim of this paper is to analyze Rogers-system categories of electric vehicle adopters in Tenerife (Canary Islands) to highlight the psychological factors defining each category. The paper runs a model to calculate willingness to change and willingness to pay for an electric vehicle following the contingent valuation methodology. A survey performed in Tenerife Island collected data from 444 private cars drivers. The survey contained a set of questions on psychological and car-features issues, as well as other items querying the socioeconomic factors and mobility characteristics of the drivers. This paper brings key contributions to the literature. First, it uses two theoretical frameworks to define the categories of innovators from a psychosocial standpoint. Second, the results will usefully inform both policymakers and automaker marketing departments on specific actions to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles. Our results confirm that electric vehicle adopter categories are similar in proportion and characteristics to those of Rogers' diffusion of innovation theory, and can be collapsed into two macro-groups of adopters distributed in a 50%-50% split in our sample, i.e., the earlier adopters and the later adopters.

Potential Early Adopters of Hybrid and Electric Vehicles in Spain—Towards a Customer Profile

“…In this particular study, the higher levels of concern about climate change among female customers in Spain may go some way to explain this [98]. Regarding the higher levels of income enjoyed by early adopters of EVs in Spain, the results of this study are in line with those of earlier research [40][41][42][43], so this study confirms the importance of this variable in market segmentation strategies. Additionally, regarding consumers' age, there was a higher proportion of young people among respondents less likely to purchase EVs.…”

“…This is often as a result of their generally higher level of education and income as well as product knowledge [11]. In the context of EVs, existing research shows that income and social status tend to influence positively the product's adoption [40][41][42][43], even if a handful of studies have questioned this assertion as wealthier individuals may in some cases favour luxury combustion engine vehicles as a status symbol over EVs [33]. All in all, income is a key variable influencing the adoption of EVs.…”

“…Subsequently, Martínez-Lao et al [83] analysed and assessed the charging systems of EVs in Spain, arguing the need for the development of relevant policies to extend the network of charging points. More recently, Rodríguez-Brito et al [42] identified certain characteristics of early adopters of EVs (e.g., range, environmental awareness, risk behaviour) among consumers on the Spanish island of Tenerife. However, to the best of the authors' knowledge, no published scholarly study has analysed the profile of early adopters in Spain using a representative sample of the whole country.…”

Early adoption of critical care interventions is unjustifiable without concomitant effectiveness study

“…In the face of new evidence suggesting non-value or even harm, critical care clinicians are slow and incompletely willing to abandon current paradigms of care [ 2 , 14 ]. Early adopters—some found to be “impulsive”, but others, “reflexive” (cautiously evaluative of new technologies) [ 15 ]—may be differently primed to de-adopt than the critical care community at large. Together, we must push ourselves to aggressively implement what we know is useful and to actively give up that which we have learned is not.…”

Determining Factors of Consumers’ Choice of Sport Utility Vehicles in an Isolated Energy System: How Can We Contribute to the Decarbonization of the Economy?

“…There are many works that analyze the profile of individuals who decide to purchase a vehicle. Mainly, using the contingent valuation and/or the discrete choice experiment methodology [41][42][43][44][45][46]. These studies use numerous explanatory variables, highlighting: (i) socio-economic characteristics of the buyer (age, gender, income, region, etc.…”