Determinant changes of consumer preference for NEVs in China: A comparison between 2012 and 2017

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 45; no. 43; pp. 23557 - 23575
• Main Authors: Fan, Jing-Li, Wang, Qian, Yang, Lin, Zhang, Hua, Zhang, Xian
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 03.09.2020
• Subjects: Alternative fuel technology; Automotive industry; Government subsidies; New energy vehicles (NEVs); Alternative fuel technology; New energy vehicles (NEVs); Automotive industry; Government subsidies
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.06.002

The Chinese government has enacted various incentives to promote the use of new energy vehicles (NEVs), mainly battery-electric vehicles, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles, and fuel cell vehicles. In this study, we analyze whether consumer preferences for NEVs changed between 2012 and 2017 and explored explanatory factors through questionnaire surveys conducted in the two years. The comparative results revealed four main findings. First, consumer acceptance of NEVs increased substantially between 2012 and 2017. Second, factors such as economic benefits, performance attributes, environmental awareness, and government policies were important in determining consumer acceptance of NEVs in both 2017 and 2012. New factors, including infrastructure construction and social influence, were shown to have had significant impacts on NEV acceptance by potential purchasers in 2017. Third, government policies had the most significant direct impact on NEV acceptance in 2017. Fourth, the indirect effects of government policies on consumer acceptance of NEVs are not strong but statistically significant, via government-promoted environmental awareness functioning as a mediating mechanism. •Consumer preferences for NEVs between 2012 and 2017 is investigated.•Structural equation modeling was used as the main methodology.•Government policies have more impacts on NEVs acceptance in 2017 than 2012.