Why Not Drive Eco-Friendly? Exploring Consumer Perceptions and Barriers to Sustainable Driving

Eco-friendly driving, defined as an individual’s daily driving practices that reduce fuel and energy consumption, remains significantly underutilized despite growing attention to climate change and sustainability. Given that changes in consumer behaviour are central to sustainability transitions and strongly influenced by how individuals perceive sustainability-related information, this study investigates the psychological and structural barriers that shape consumers’ perceptions of eco-friendly driving. A scoping review of empirical research on these barriers (Study 1), informed by Gifford’s “dragons of inaction,” combined with 50 semi-structured interviews (Study 2) conducted in a highly car-dependent regional context, provides convergent evidence on the complex factors shaping consumer behaviour in sustainable mobility. Across both studies, consistent psychological barriers emerged, including limited awareness of eco-driving techniques, doubts about effectiveness, emotional responses such as stress or range anxiety, and habitual reliance on conventional driving. Structural barriers such as inadequate infrastructure, limited charging accessibility, economic constraints, and weak policy support further constrained perceived feasibility. Evidence from both studies showed that these barriers reinforce one another, intensifying scepticism and reducing engagement with sustainability initiatives and messages. The findings contribute to research on sustainable consumer behaviour and sustainability communication by showing how internal and external constraints jointly shape eco-friendly driving decisions. Practically, the results highlight opportunities for coordinated infrastructure, policy, and communication strategies to support broader adoption of eco-friendly driving behaviours.