Understanding barriers to electric vehicle adoption for personal mobility: A case study of middle income in-service residents in Hyderabad city, India

Globally, there is a significant increase in the sales of electric vehicles (EVs), and in many counties, this is leading to transformational change in the use of vehicle technology. In India, the government provides policy and financial incentives with an expectation of large-scale diffusion of EVs in the medium and long term. However, for the diffusion of EVs, it is essential to understand consumer behaviour. This study contributes to understanding factors necessary to drive EV demand in India by analysing the behaviour of potential EV buyers. The city of Hyderabad in India was used as a case study. Personal interviews were used, and stated preferences for different scenarios were analysed using discrete choice models. The analysis reveals a general willingness to purchase EVs among the middle-income working population in India. However, this initial excitement was found to be only due to a lack of awareness about running cost and specification of EVs, and when the these were known, most respondents showed high sensitivity and reconsidered their choice. It was also found that financial and policy incentives positively impact EV adoption, underlining their importance. The estimates from this study thus provide insights into the policy responses and also for framing market strategies.