Automobile Users' Interest and Expectations for Innovative Vehicles: Electric Cars

Abstract

Purpose – In our world where technology is accelerating, the use of innovative and environmentally friendly vehicles continues to increase. Among these vehicles, although the interest in electric cars with clean fuel and environmentalist understanding is positive, it also contains some inadequacies and concerns. This study aims to determine the interest, expectations and concerns of prospective drivers who differ in socio-economic and cultural aspects towards electric vehicles and their reflections on their thoughts and actions.
Design/methodology/approach – The survey method was adopted in the study, and the population of the study consists of drivers using solid fuel, electric and hybrid vehicles. The sample consists of 242 automobile drivers determined by cluster sampling among the drivers using automobiles from the population. The data in the study consist of the responses of the drivers to the 27-item questionnaire prepared in 5-point Likert type developed by the researcher himself. The data obtained from the measurement tool were transferred to the computer environment and analyzed with correlation, t-test and ANOVA test techniques from parametric tests.
Results – As a result of the research, in addition to the technical features of electric cars, the environmental policies implemented by the managements, green energy and financing policies, infrastructure investments and policies and uncertainties regarding the future position of electric cars increase the expectations and concerns of consumers, In the research, the effects on consumers' intention to purchase electric cars were statistically analysed.
Discussion – The analysis shows that consumers have quite high expectations of electric vehicles, but this situation will have an even more positive impact if the managements implements policies that boost consumer confidence, in addition to the policy measures of other countries. Naturally, this process has led to changes in consumers' intentions and behaviors regarding the purchase of electric vehicles. The findings obtained were discussed within the framework of the literature data, and some recommendations were made to meet expectations regarding electric vehicles and change purchasing behavior in a positive direction.