Factors Influencing Electric Motorcycle Purchase Intention among Young Consumers in Ho Chi Minh City: The Role of Policy and Barriers

Abstract

As global efforts intensify to achieve Net Zero emissions, this study addresses a critical research gap by examining the factors influencing electric motorcycle purchase intention in Vietnam, a primary example of a motorcycle-dominated emerging economy. Utilizing an extended Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) framework, the research integrates government policy, technological barriers, cost, and infrastructure through a PLS-SEM analysis of 326 consumers in Ho Chi Minh City. The findings yield two significant, counter-intuitive results that challenge existing paradigms in green technology adoption: First, charging infrastructure is no longer perceived as a barrier, signaling that urban development in Ho Chi Minh City has reached a tipping point of adequacy for potential users. Second, subjective norms - typically a strong driver in collectivist cultures - exert no significant influence on intention, revealing a profound gap between social environmental awareness and individual behavioral compliance. Instead, purchase intention is primarily driven by individual attitude, perceived behavioral control (PBC), and the impact of government policy, while technological anxieties and battery costs remain the dominant deterrents.