ACCEPTABILITY OF ELECTRIC VEHICLES: FINDINGS FROM

Plug-in Electric Vehicles (EV) offer a clean and cost effective means in the long run of driving short to medium distances within the city, even with the current high purchase cost. In Australia EV may be attractive as a second car in the multicar household. The acceptance of EV requires a change in behaviour – instead of re-fuelling, this vehicle requires battery charging each 140-160km, either at home or at specialised charging stations. A limited number of EVs are being driven in Perth as part of the Western Australia Electric Vehicle trial (WA EV trial). The trial monitors the performance, benefits, infrastructure and practical implications of EV fleet. This paper explores the opinions and experiences of 43 of the participants. Factor analysis and multiple regression are applied to identify the main motivators and barriers in purchasing and using an EV. Ninety per cent of respondents are confident about driving the EV; more than 45 % take trips of more than 30km. While zero tailpipe emissions is the most desirable feature of EV, followed closely by home charging, the limited range of the vehicle is regarded as the most serious barrier to EV uptake. The overall satisfaction with the EV performance is high (an average score of 3.96 out of 5), although 13 participants experienced at least one technical difficulty, when driving the EVs in the trial. Two latent constructs reflecting environmental concerns, and technology learning, along with EV benefits and technical difficulties experienced while driving an EV explain 59.2 % of the variability of the willingness to purchase an EV as the next vehicle