A comprehensive socio-psychological approach to car type choice

Abstract

Data from a web survey, which was conducted in 2012 among 1421 owners of a new internal combustion engine car and 372 new battery electric car owners in Norway, were used to test an adapted version of the comprehensive action determination model to explain private consumers' purchase of fuel-efficient cars. It was first examined whether the average fuel efficiency differs among internal combustion engine car classes. Consequently, with battery electric cars being regarded as the most fuel-efficient group, five car groups ordered by fuel efficiency were retained. The results of subsequent structural equation modelling show that intention to buy a fuel-efficient car, brand loyalty, number of cars and driver's license holders in the household, household size, and household income had significant direct effects on choosing a more fuel-efficient car. Normative processes had a mediated impact on behaviour. Implications for design and implementation of interventions are discussed.