Factors Influencing Electric Vehicle Adoption in India - An Investigation into Consumer Purchase Intention

Abstract

The inexorable global transition towards electrified mobility is engendering a fundamental reconceptualization of the contemporary transportation paradigm, with India assuming an increasingly consequential role within this rapidly evolving landscape. Despite the accelerating proliferation of electric vehicles (EVs), their widespread diffusion remains contingent upon a complex and interdependent constellation of economic, infrastructural, environmental, and technological determinants that mediate consumer perceptions, preferences, and behavioural intentions. This research critically examines the extent to which these multidimensional determinants influence consumers’ intention to adopt EVs in India, Encompassing Affordability, Lifecycle ownership expenditure, charging accessibility, driving range, battery reliability, environmental consciousness, and governmental intervention. Using a quantitative framework, the study draws on primary data from a structured questionnaire to clarify consumer perceptions and identify the key determinants of EV adoption. Rather than reducing adoption to an exclusively economic or environmental proposition, the research conceptualises consumer transition towards electric mobility as a multifaceted behavioural phenomenon arising from the intersection of financial viability, infrastructural adequacy, technological assurance, environmental stewardship, and policy responsiveness. Through the critical synthesis of these interrelated dimensions, the study seeks to delineate the principal catalysts, deterrents, and underlying tensions that characterise consumers’ transition towards electric mobility. Ultimately, the research illuminates the intricate architecture of consumer decision-making surrounding EV adoption in India and underscores the imperative of harmonising economic accessibility, infrastructural preparedness, technological advancement, environmental imperatives, and coherent governmental intervention to foster a resilient, inclusive, and sustainable electric mobility ecosystem. In doing so, the study contributes to a broader understanding of the conditions through which consumer willingness can be translated into substantive and enduring adoption, thereby supporting India’s trajectory towards a progressively decarbonised transportation future.