AWARENESS, ATTITUDES, AND ADOPTION INTENTIONS TOWARD ELECTRIC VEHICLES AMONG MALAYSIAN UNDERGRADUATE YOUTH
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35631/IJIREV.824028Keywords:
Adoption Intention, Affordability, Brand Trust, Electric Vehicles, Infrastructure, Malaysia, Undergraduate YouthAbstract
The global transition toward electric vehicles (EVs) is central to sustainable mobility, yet adoption remains uneven across regions and social groups due to affordability, infrastructure provision, perceived risk, and trust in emerging technologies. Malaysia represents a salient Southeast Asian case where strong policy ambition and growing market visibility coexist with relatively low EV penetration, highlighting the importance of consumer readiness. Given the structural significance of undergraduate youth as future vehicle buyers, this study examines EV awareness, attitudes, and adoption intentions among Malaysian undergraduates. Drawing on a nationwide cross-sectional online survey of 328 respondents, the study employs descriptive and exploratory analysis to profile awareness and familiarity, evaluative attitudes, adoption intentions, and key conditioning factors. The findings reveal near-universal awareness of EVs alongside limited technological familiarity, indicating a pronounced awareness–familiarity gap. Attitudes are mixed but not polarised, combining positive evaluation with substantial neutrality. While environmental friendliness is the most salient perceived benefit, adoption intentions remain strongly conditional, shaped by concerns over charging infrastructure, battery durability, affordability, and after-sales support. Respondents prioritise durability, maintenance cost, and service reliability, and display clear price and range thresholds. Brand perceptions are anchored in functional credibility, with Tesla and selected Chinese brands perceived as reliable, and China widely viewed as leading Malaysia’s EV industry. Overall, Malaysian undergraduates exhibit “rational environmentalism,” endorsing EV sustainability benefits while screening adoption through feasibility and risk considerations. The study advances a constraint-sensitive understanding of EV adoption intention in emerging markets.
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