Danting Zhao , Yuandong Liu , Shaoxuan Zhu , Jinglei Chi
{"title":"Determinants of mini-electric vehicle adoption: Insights from early-adopters in China","authors":"Danting Zhao , Yuandong Liu , Shaoxuan Zhu , Jinglei Chi","doi":"10.1016/j.tranpol.2025.01.017","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Mini-electric vehicles (mini-EVs) have gained popularity in China. However, there has been no research on this new vehicle type. This study fills this gap by examining the determinants and differences in adoption behavior between mini- and full-size EVs. An integrated method of binary logit regression and stepwise forward regression indicated that seven factors determine mini-EV adoption (battery type, travel purpose, commute time, travel demand, battery degradation anxiety, purchase price, and official top speed). Based on this, three profiles are identified for mini-EV adopters (high-cost, long-commute, and multi-purpose adopters), while four profiles are identified for full-size EV adopters (lithium iron phosphate—low demand, short-time commute, ternary lithium-ion—low cost, and ternary lithium-ion—high cost adopters) by latent profile analysis. It is also found that mini-EV adopters have common misperceptions about the vehicle's official top speed and rated seating capacity. This study provides fresh insights into mini-EVs and offers policy guidance for the diffusion of this new type of vehicle.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":48378,"journal":{"name":"Transport Policy","volume":"163 ","pages":"Pages 298-309"},"PeriodicalIF":6.3000,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Transport Policy","FirstCategoryId":"5","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0967070X25000174","RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q1","JCRName":"ECONOMICS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Mini-electric vehicles (mini-EVs) have gained popularity in China. However, there has been no research on this new vehicle type. This study fills this gap by examining the determinants and differences in adoption behavior between mini- and full-size EVs. An integrated method of binary logit regression and stepwise forward regression indicated that seven factors determine mini-EV adoption (battery type, travel purpose, commute time, travel demand, battery degradation anxiety, purchase price, and official top speed). Based on this, three profiles are identified for mini-EV adopters (high-cost, long-commute, and multi-purpose adopters), while four profiles are identified for full-size EV adopters (lithium iron phosphate—low demand, short-time commute, ternary lithium-ion—low cost, and ternary lithium-ion—high cost adopters) by latent profile analysis. It is also found that mini-EV adopters have common misperceptions about the vehicle's official top speed and rated seating capacity. This study provides fresh insights into mini-EVs and offers policy guidance for the diffusion of this new type of vehicle.
期刊介绍:
Transport Policy is an international journal aimed at bridging the gap between theory and practice in transport. Its subject areas reflect the concerns of policymakers in government, industry, voluntary organisations and the public at large, providing independent, original and rigorous analysis to understand how policy decisions have been taken, monitor their effects, and suggest how they may be improved. The journal treats the transport sector comprehensively, and in the context of other sectors including energy, housing, industry and planning. All modes are covered: land, sea and air; road and rail; public and private; motorised and non-motorised; passenger and freight.