IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/transa/v192y2025ics0965856424004075.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Switching behavior in the adoption of electric vehicle in China: Perspective of push–pull-mooring framework

Author

Listed:
  • Li, Jun
  • Zhang, Ao
  • Wang, Chengyuan
  • Wang, Shanyong
  • Liang, Liang

Abstract

As environmental issues caused by the transportation sector become increasingly severe, incentivizing consumers to shift to electric vehicles (EVs) has become ever more significant. This research examines how environmental concern and moral obligation (push factors), perceived operating costs and environmental threats (pull factors), and perceived risk (mooring factors) within the push–pull-mooring paradigm influence customers’ willingness to switch to EVs. The results show that environmental concern and moral obligation draw consumers to EVs, while perceived operating costs and environmental threats discourage consumers from choosing internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs). Perceived risk negatively affects consumers’ willingness to switch to EVs, diminishing the impact of both push and pull factors. These findings are critical for China in achieving its “dual carbon” goals. We propose policy recommendations and suggestions to further promote EV adoption in light of the research conclusions.

Suggested Citation

  • Li, Jun & Zhang, Ao & Wang, Chengyuan & Wang, Shanyong & Liang, Liang, 2025. "Switching behavior in the adoption of electric vehicle in China: Perspective of push–pull-mooring framework," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:192:y:2025:i:c:s0965856424004075
    DOI: 10.1016/j.tra.2024.104359
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0965856424004075
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.tra.2024.104359?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Featherman, Mauricio & Jia, Shizhen (Jasper) & Califf, Christopher B. & Hajli, Nick, 2021. "The impact of new technologies on consumers beliefs: Reducing the perceived risks of electric vehicle adoption," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    2. Huang, Youlin & Qian, Lixian & Tyfield, David & Soopramanien, Didier, 2021. "On the heterogeneity in consumer preferences for electric vehicles across generations and cities in China," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 167(C).
    3. Armenio, Sabrina & Bergantino, Angela Stefania & Intini, Mario & Morone, Andrea, 2022. "Cheaper or eco-friendly cars: What do consumers prefer? An experimental study on individual and social preferences," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 193(C).
    4. Frasquet, Marta & Miquel-Romero, Maria-Jose, 2021. "Competitive (versus loyal) showrooming: An application of the push-pull-mooring framework," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 62(C).
    5. Liu, Jing & Nie, Jiajia & Zhang, Wenjie & Li, Lingyue & Yuan, Hongping, 2024. "Product development strategies of electric vehicle manufacturers: Considering government subsidy and consumers' environmental preferences," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 201(C).
    6. Srivastava, Abhishek & Kumar, Rajeev Ranjan & Chakraborty, Abhishek & Mateen, Arqum & Narayanamurthy, Gopalakrishnan, 2022. "Design and selection of government policies for electric vehicles adoption: A global perspective," Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    7. Shanmugavel, Nagarajan & Balakrishnan, Janarthanan, 2023. "Influence of pro-environmental behaviour towards behavioural intention of electric vehicles," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    8. Kim, Jinhee & Rasouli, Soora & Timmermans, Harry, 2014. "Expanding scope of hybrid choice models allowing for mixture of social influences and latent attitudes: Application to intended purchase of electric cars," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 71-85.
    9. Chang, En-Chi & Tseng, Ya-Fen, 2013. "Research note: E-store image, perceived value and perceived risk," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 66(7), pages 864-870.
    10. Sovacool, Benjamin K. & Abrahamse, Wokje & Zhang, Long & Ren, Jingzheng, 2019. "Pleasure or profit? Surveying the purchasing intentions of potential electric vehicle adopters in China," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 124(C), pages 69-81.
    11. Wang, Shanyong & Wang, Jing & Li, Jun & Wang, Jinpeng & Liang, Liang, 2018. "Policy implications for promoting the adoption of electric vehicles: Do consumer’s knowledge, perceived risk and financial incentive policy matter?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 58-69.
    12. Rambabu Lavuri & Umair Akram & Zubair Akram, 2023. "RETRACTED: Exploring the sustainable consumption behavior in emerging countries: The role of pro‐environmental self‐identity, attitude, and environmental protection emotion," Business Strategy and the Environment, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(8), pages 5174-5186, December.
    13. Jianmin Jia & James S. Dyer & John C. Butler, 1999. "Measures of Perceived Risk," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 45(4), pages 519-532, April.
    14. Zhang, Lei & Tong, Hangyan & Liang, Yuqing & Qin, Quande, 2023. "Consumer purchase intention of new energy vehicles with an extended technology acceptance model: The role of attitudinal ambivalence," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 174(C).
    15. Jochem, Patrick & Doll, Claus & Fichtner, Wolf, 2016. "External costs of electric vehicles," MPRA Paper 91602, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    16. Kim, Moon-Koo & Oh, Jeesun & Park, Jong-Hyun & Joo, Changlim, 2018. "Perceived value and adoption intention for electric vehicles in Korea: Moderating effects of environmental traits and government supports," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 159(C), pages 799-809.
    17. Jung, Jishim & Han, Heesup & Oh, Mihae, 2017. "Travelers' switching behavior in the airline industry from the perspective of the push-pull-mooring framework," Tourism Management, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 139-153.
    18. Chirumalla, Koteshwar & Kulkov, Ignat & Parida, Vinit & Dahlquist, Erik & Johansson, Glenn & Stefan, Ioana, 2024. "Enabling battery circularity: Unlocking circular business model archetypes and collaboration forms in the electric vehicle battery ecosystem," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 199(C).
    19. Dong, Xiaoyang & Zhang, Bin & Wang, Bo & Wang, Zhaohua, 2020. "Urban households’ purchase intentions for pure electric vehicles under subsidy contexts in China: Do cost factors matter?," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 183-197.
    20. Karoline Gamma & Robert Mai & Moritz Loock, 2020. "The Double-Edged Sword of Ethical Nudges: Does Inducing Hypocrisy Help or Hinder the Adoption of Pro-environmental Behaviors?," Journal of Business Ethics, Springer, vol. 161(2), pages 351-373, January.
    21. Mohamed, Moataz & Higgins, Christopher D. & Ferguson, Mark & Réquia, Weeberb J., 2018. "The influence of vehicle body type in shaping behavioural intention to acquire electric vehicles: A multi-group structural equation approach," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 116(C), pages 54-72.
    22. Ye, Fei & Kang, Wanlin & Li, Lixu & Wang, Zhiqiang, 2021. "Why do consumers choose to buy electric vehicles? A paired data analysis of purchase intention configurations," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 147(C), pages 14-27.
    23. Jaiswal, Deepak & Kaushal, Vikrant & Kant, Rishi & Kumar Singh, Pankaj, 2021. "Consumer adoption intention for electric vehicles: Insights and evidence from Indian sustainable transportation," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    24. de Blanes Sebastián, María García & Antonovica, Arta & Sarmiento Guede, José Ramón, 2023. "What are the leading factors for using Spanish peer-to-peer mobile payment platform Bizum? The applied analysis of the UTAUT2 model," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 187(C).
    25. Wei Sun & Alisher Tohirovich Dedahanov & Ho Young Shin & Ki Su Kim, 2020. "Switching intention to crypto-currency market: Factors predisposing some individuals to risky investment," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(6), pages 1-16, June.
    26. Hasan, Rajibul & Shams, Riad & Rahman, Mizan, 2021. "Consumer trust and perceived risk for voice-controlled artificial intelligence: The case of Siri," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 131(C), pages 591-597.
    27. Bahamonde-Birke, Francisco, 2020. "Who will bell the cat? On the environmental and sustainability risks of electric vehicles: A rejoinder," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 358-360.
    28. Chen, Ching-Fu & Eccarius, Timo & Su, Pin-Chi, 2021. "The role of environmental concern in forming intentions for switching to electric scooters," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 129-144.
    29. Tseng, Shun-Yao & Wang, Ching-Nan, 2016. "Perceived risk influence on dual-route information adoption processes on travel websites," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(6), pages 2289-2296.
    30. Bahamonde-Birke, Francisco J., 2020. "Who will bell the cat? On the environmental and sustainability risks of electric vehicles," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 133(C), pages 79-81.
    31. Hsieh, Pi-Jung, 2021. "Understanding medical consumers’ intentions to switch from cash payment to medical mobile payment: A perspective of technology migration," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 173(C).
    32. Tchetchik, Anat & Zvi, Liat I. & Kaplan, Sigal & Blass, Vered, 2020. "The joint effects of driving hedonism and trialability on the choice between internal combustion engine, hybrid, and electric vehicles," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 151(C).
    33. Barbarossa, Camilla & De Pelsmacker, Patrick & Moons, Ingrid, 2017. "Personal Values, Green Self-identity and Electric Car Adoption," Ecological Economics, Elsevier, vol. 140(C), pages 190-200.
    34. Upadhyay, Nitin & Kamble, Aakash, 2023. "Examining Indian consumer pro-environment purchase intention of electric vehicles: Perspective of stimulus-organism-response," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    35. Biresselioglu, Mehmet Efe & Demirbag Kaplan, Melike & Yilmaz, Barbara Katharina, 2018. "Electric mobility in Europe: A comprehensive review of motivators and barriers in decision making processes," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 109(C), pages 1-13.
    36. Anwar, Muhammad Azfar & Dhir, Amandeep & Jabeen, Fauzia & Zhang, Qingyu & Siddiquei, Ahmad Nabeel, 2023. "Unconventional green transport innovations in the post-COVID-19 era. A trade-off between green actions and personal health protection," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 155(PA).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Fu, Xuemei, 2024. "Understanding the adoption intention for electric vehicles: The role of hedonic-utilitarian values," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    2. Lin, Boqiang & Shi, Lei, 2022. "Do environmental quality and policy changes affect the evolution of consumers’ intentions to buy new energy vehicles," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 310(C).
    3. Ahmad, Hafsoah & Rahul, T.M. & Asija, Navdeep K., 2025. "Accelerators and hurdles, and their mediating effects on electric vehicle adoption," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 20-30.
    4. Kumar, Vikas & Kaushik, Arun Kumar & Noravesh, Farima & Sindhwani, Rahul & Mathiyazhagan, K., 2025. "Green drives: Understanding how environmental propensity, range and technological anxiety shape electric vehicle adoption intentions," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 210(C).
    5. Adu-Gyamfi, Gibbson & Asamoah, Ama Nyarkoh & Obuobi, Bright & Nketiah, Emmanuel & Zhang, Ming, 2024. "Electric mobility in an oil-producing developing nation: Empirical assessment of electric vehicle adoption," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 200(C).
    6. Jiang, Yuting & Fu, Qian & Thomopoulos, Nikolas & Chen, Jason Li, 2025. "Understanding the influence of past driving experience on electric vehicle purchase intention in China," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 162(C), pages 270-282.
    7. Gulnaz Ivanova & António Carrizo Moreira, 2023. "Antecedents of Electric Vehicle Purchase Intention from the Consumer’s Perspective: A Systematic Literature Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(4), pages 1-27, February.
    8. Nguyen-Phuoc, Duy Quy & Truong, Thi Minh & Nguyen, Minh Hieu & Pham, Huong-Giang & Li, Zhi-Chun & Oviedo-Trespalacios, Oscar, 2024. "What factors influence the intention to use electric motorcycles in motorcycle-dominated countries? An empirical study in Vietnam," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 146(C), pages 193-204.
    9. Adu-Gyamfi, Gibbson & Song, Huaming & Obuobi, Bright & Nketiah, Emmanuel & Wang, Hong & Cudjoe, Dan, 2022. "Who will adopt? Investigating the adoption intention for battery swap technology for electric vehicles," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 156(C).
    10. Lv, Zhe & Zhao, Wenjia & Liu, Yu & Wu, Jie & Hou, Mutian, 2024. "Impact of perceived value, positive emotion, product coolness and Mianzi on new energy vehicle purchase intention," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 76(C).
    11. Champahom, Thanapong & Wisutwattanasak, Panuwat & Chonsalasin, Dissakoon & Se, Chamroeun & Jomnonkwao, Sajjakaj & Ratanavaraha, Vatanavongs, 2025. "Comparing Electric Vehicle Adoption Intentions Across Vehicle Types in Thailand: An Extended UTAUT2 Model with Government Participation," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 163(C), pages 408-435.
    12. Goel, Pooja & Kumar, Aalok & Parayitam, Satyanarayana & Luthra, Sunil, 2023. "Understanding transport users' preferences for adopting electric vehicle based mobility for sustainable city: A moderated moderated-mediation model," Journal of Transport Geography, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    13. Adu-Gyamfi, Gibbson & Song, Huaming & Nketiah, Emmanuel & Obuobi, Bright & Wu, Qin & Cudjoe, Dan, 2024. "Refueling convenience and range satisfaction in electric mobility: Investigating consumer willingness to use battery swap services for electric vehicles," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 79(C).
    14. Li, Lixu & Wang, Zhiqiang & Xie, Xiaoqing, 2022. "From government to market? A discrete choice analysis of policy instruments for electric vehicle adoption," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 160(C), pages 143-159.
    15. Upadhyay, Nitin & Kamble, Aakash, 2023. "Examining Indian consumer pro-environment purchase intention of electric vehicles: Perspective of stimulus-organism-response," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 189(C).
    16. Kumar, Rajeev Ranjan & Raj, Alok & Ajith Kumar, J., 2025. "The energy efficiency paradox in electric vehicle adoption: Estimating the internal discount rate and the influences of behavioural factors," Transportation Research Part A: Policy and Practice, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).
    17. André Hackbarth & Reinhard Madlener, 2018. "Combined Vehicle Type and Fuel Type Choices of Private Households: An Empirical Analysis for Germany," FCN Working Papers 17/2018, E.ON Energy Research Center, Future Energy Consumer Needs and Behavior (FCN).
    18. Huang, Youlin & Qian, Lixian, 2021. "Consumer adoption of electric vehicles in alternative business models," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
    19. Sun, Ka Kit & He, Sylvia Y. & Thøgersen, John, 2022. "The purchase intention of electric vehicles in Hong Kong, a high-density Asian context, and main differences from a Nordic context," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 98-112.
    20. Long Chen & Xiaokun Liu & Peng Jing, 2023. "Do Unprecedented Gasoline Prices Affect the Consumer Switching to New Energy Vehicles? An Integrated Social Cognitive Theory Model," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-25, May.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:transa:v:192:y:2025:i:c:s0965856424004075. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/547/description#description .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.