Empirical analysis of electric vehicle market and policy

Abstract

In the past decade, electric vehicles (EVs) have drawn attention as a potential solution to environmental issues in the transportation sector, which is heavily dependent on fossil fuels. Consequently, many countries have taken action to promote EVs and have gradually substituted EVs for internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). However, circumstances of purchasing and driving EVs are not yet satisfactory for many EV consumers, as evident from sluggish market growth. In this perspective, a fundamental aspect of diagnosing the current conditions of the EV market is to understand consumer attitudes and perceptions toward EVs and to formulate effective policy for both existing and potential users. Hence, the goal of this dissertation is to suggest EV market strategies for sustainable development based on a lifecycle approach to the EV consumer experience. To achieve this goal, this dissertation deals with three sub-topics: i) Pre-purchase stage: understanding the range paradox phenomenon, which is the discrepancy between consumers’ daily necessary and preferred ranges for EVs, ii) Purchase stage: evaluation of incentive policies for EVs, and iii) Post-purchase stage: exploring EV user satisfaction and intention to repurchase and recommend. By conducting an empirical analysis of consumer behavior, this dissertation proposes an EV consumer research framework and the discovery of new knowledge in the EV field. It also suggests effective EV market strategies as stepping-stones toward building a sustainable EV industry.