Proceedings of Annual South Africa Business Research Conference
11 - 12 January 2016, Taj Hotel, Cape Town, South Africa, ISBN: 978-1-922069-95-5
Consumer Perceptions of Cars in a Warming Climate: Analysis of
Adopters and Non-Adopters of Different Types of Electric
Vehicles
Johan Janssona, Annika Nordlundb, Kerstin Westinc, Katarina Haugend and Sofia
Berne
The burning of fossil fuels contributes to a large part of the emissions of the climate warming
greenhouse gas carbon dioxide (CO2). A substantial part of these emissions come from the use
of private passenger cars that are fueled by gasoline and diesel (Rezvani et al., 2015; Schäfer et
al., 2009). Although still a niche market, the last few years several Alternative Fuel Vehicles (AFVs)
such as different types of Electric Vehicles (EVs) have started to diffuse in many markets
(Jansson, 2011; Mannberg et al., 2014; Rezvani et al., 2015). These cars have the potential to
reduce CO2 emissions from transport and can thus be important in a transformation to a less
carbon intensive economy. However, the adoption of EVs has been slower than initial projections
predicted and of the total sales worldwide these cars make up less than one percent. In this light
it is important to understand both how adopters and non-adopters reason regarding their
replacement decisions and new purchases of cars in different markets (Jansson et al., 2009, 2010;
Jansson, 2009). Although there are several studies in the literature, few analyze both adoptersand non-adopters and most studies are quantitative relying on databases or surveys, which
preempts in-depth understanding of how consumers reason. In addition, since the car market is
now in rapid change due to new technologies entering, and being forecasted to enter the mass
market, continuous monitoring of consumer attitudes and motivations regarding cars is important
(Axsen & Kurani, 2011; Rezvani et al., 2015). The purpose of this study is thus to analyze different
consumer groups’ responses to the changing car market with a main focus on EVs using a
diffusion of innovations theory perspective (e.g., Rogers, 2003). In this paper about 40 (ongoing
data collection) in-depth interviews with car owners are analyzed. The responses are categorized
into themes concerning: technology, environment, costs, functionality, and image influence. The
results point to drivers and barriers for EV mass market diffusion and theoretical, managerial and
policy implications are discussed.
Suggested Track: Sustainability Marketing
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aAssociate
Professor, Corresponding/presenting author: Research Institute for Sustainability and Ethics in
Business (RiseB.se), Umeå School of Business and Economics, Department of Business Administration, Umeå
University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden, johan.jansson@umu.se.
bAssociate Professor Annika Nordlund, Department of Psychology, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden,
annika.nordlund@umu.se.
professor Department of Geography and Economic History, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden,
kerstin.westin @umu.se.
dAssistant Professor, Department of Geography and Economic History, Umeå University, 901 87 Umeå, Sweden,
katarina.haugen@umu.se.
eBBA, Umeå School of Business and Economics, Department of Business Administration, Umeå University, 901
87 Umeå, Sweden, sofia.bern@umu.se.