From Green Approval to Purchase Readiness: Malaysia’s Electric Vehicle Adoption Conversion Problem

Abstract

Electric vehicles have moved from a niche technology to a central instrument of transport decarbonisation, yet Malaysian consumer adoption remains modest relative to policy ambition. This narrative review argues that the persistent gap is best understood as a conversion problem: general approval of cleaner mobility becomes purchase intention only when consumers judge the vehicle to be worth its sacrifices and believe that purchase and use are practically controllable. The review integrates the Theory of Planned Behavior with the Value-Based Adoption Model and critically synthesises Malaysian and international evidence on economic, environmental, functional, symbolic, and experiential benefits; vehicle, battery, charging, and behavioural barriers; and the conditional roles of environmental concern and government incentives. The literature converges on the importance of attitude and perceived value but conflicts over subjective norm, perceived behavioural control, infrastructure, environmental concern, and incentives. These disagreements are traced to differences in market stage, respondent experience, vehicle definition, policy design, model specification, and the widespread use of cross-sectional intention measures. A value–control conversion framework is proposed in which environmental concern changes benefit salience, whereas incentives and infrastructure primarily change affordability, access, and confidence. The review concludes that Malaysia needs coordinated interventions that improve the complete ownership proposition, not isolated awareness campaigns or temporary subsidies, and outlines a longitudinal, multi-source research agenda focused on actual purchase, use, and retention.