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Chongutsah, Suppharutchaya (2025) Electric vehicle adoption behaviour in emerging markets: the case of Thailand’s consumer behaviour and preferences. PhD thesis, University of Nottingham.

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Abstract

Electric vehicles (EVs) stand as an essential solution to fight climate change while reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Major challenges from structural barriers, like high costs and infrastructure deficiencies, restrict EV adoption in emerging markets such as Thailand. Prior research has focused on developed markets, leaving a knowledge gap regarding how consumers in resource-constrained contexts form intentions and make adoption-related choices in developing countries.

The research employs a quantitative multi-method framework based on a critical realist paradigm to investigate the psychological and contextual factors shaping EV adoption in Thailand. The first study combines the Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) with sustainability perceptions related to economic, environmental, and social factors to build a structural equation model (SEM) for understanding consumer intentions towards EV adoption. Study 2 applies utility theory alongside stated preference (SP) experiments through discrete choice modelling (DCM) and mixed multinomial logit (MMNL) models to assess consumer trade-offs between important vehicle attributes, such as price, range, charging infrastructure, and policy incentives.

Findings from Study 1 indicate economic sustainability perceptions dominate environmental concerns when forming intentions. This finding underscores economic feasibility as a vital factor for emerging markets. Study 2 identifies price and the availability of both public charging stations and home charging infrastructure as key determinants in vehicle selection while showing plug-in hybrid vehicles (PHEVs) as the top alternative choice because of their versatile nature. By synthesising the results from both studies, the research uncovers a perception–action gap in EV adoption: although consumers express favourable intentions, their stated choices remain constrained by structural limitations and practical trade-offs.

This thesis contributes to EV adoption by enhancing the TPB through sustainability perceptions in a developing market context and methodologically by integrating psychological intention models with stated choice frameworks. It offers targeted policy guidance for emerging markets, emphasising the importance of financial incentives, infrastructure investments, and communication strategies to close the gap between consumer motivation and market adoption.

Item Type:	Thesis (University of Nottingham only) (PhD)
Supervisors:	Hua Tan, Kim Chutani, Anshuman
Keywords:	electric vehicle adoption, emerging markets, consumer preferences, sustainability perceptions, choice modelling
Subjects:	H Social sciences > HF Commerce T Technology > TL Motor vehicles. Aeronautics. Astronautics
Faculties/Schools:	UK Campuses > Faculty of Social Sciences, Law and Education > Nottingham University Business School
Item ID:	81054
Depositing User:	Chongutsah, Suppharutchaya
Date Deposited:	25 Jul 2025 04:40
Last Modified:	25 Jul 2025 04:40
URI:	https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/id/eprint/81054

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