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For me, for you, or for the environment? Explaining young consumers’ motives for adopting electric cars based on the fundamental motive framework

Widya Paramita (Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
Rokhima Rostiani (Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
Rahmadi Hidayat (Department of Geological Engineering , Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
Sahid Susilo Nugroho (Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)
Eddy Junarsin (Department of Management, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta, Indonesia)

Young Consumers

ISSN: 1747-3616

Article publication date: 13 October 2023

Issue publication date: 20 February 2024

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Abstract

Purpose

Electric cars (EC) adoption represents a strategic action aimed at promoting environmental sustainability. Although Millennials and Gen Z represent the greatest potential market for EC, their adoption remains low; thus, this study focused on examining the role of motive in predicting EC adoption intention within these two generations’ population. Built upon the fundamental motive framework, this research explores the motives that lead to EC adoption intention. Subsequently, this study aims to examine the role of performance expectancy as the mediating variable and EC attributes beliefs as the moderating variable that can promote EC adoption intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Both exploratory and confirmatory methods were used in this investigation. Using an exploratory approach, this research explores the fundamental motives and the attributes of EC that influence EC adoption intention. Using a confirmatory approach, this research tests the mediating role of performance expectancy. To collect the data, an online survey was administered to 260 young consumers in Indonesia.

Findings

The results of PLS-SEM analysis from the data revealed that self-protection, kin-care, status and affiliative motives influence EC adoption. Furthermore, performance expectancy mediates the relationship between self-protection, mate acquisition, affiliative motives and EC adoption intention. Among EC attributes, the short-haul performance strengthens the indirect relationship between affiliative motive and EC adoption intention.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of this study is that it only focuses on the practical attributes of EC, whereas psychological attributes that were found to be more influential in consumer’s purchase decisions were not examined.

Practical implications

Marketers need to explore EC attributes that can strengthen the relationship between consumers’ motives and EC adoption intention by increasing consumers’ evaluation of performance expectancy. In this study, marketers can promote short-haul performance, as it will lead to EC adoption for consumers with affiliative motives.

Originality/value

This study ties together two lines of research on the adoption of EC, exploring EC attributes and examining consumers’ motivation to choose EC, especially Millennials and Gen Z. In this way, EC attributes facilitate the fulfillment of consumers’ needs and promote EC adoption intention.

Keywords

Citation

Paramita, W., Rostiani, R., Hidayat, R., Nugroho, S.S. and Junarsin, E. (2024), "For me, for you, or for the environment? Explaining young consumers’ motives for adopting electric cars based on the fundamental motive framework", Young Consumers, Vol. 25 No. 2, pp. 226-248. https://doi.org/10.1108/YC-12-2022-1660

Publisher

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Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited

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