While people seem to recognise the environmental benefits of electric vehicles, they still are concerned about inadequate charging stations and recharging taking a lot of time.
This was revealed in a study — Factors Influencing the Adoption of Electric Vehicles in Bengaluru — conducted by Indian Institute of Science (IISc) researchers, led by Professor Ashish Verma and published in academic journal Springer Nature.
“Subsidy is found to be another important financial incentive for early adopters. This clearly indicates the uncertainty of the respondents towards the total cost of ownership of EVs and government subsidy to be an important motivating factor for adoption,” the study said.
“In addition, a large number of the population still seems to be unaware that EV batteries can be charged at home. Social media marketing would be an effective way of educating the public and promoting the need for a transition to zero-emission vehicles and at the same time addressing socio-technical barriers,” it added.
It suggested that efforts to increase EV market share should go hand in hand with drives to decrease use of Conventional Vehicles (CVs). “Along with financial incentives, which are important motivating factors for boosting EV market share, taxes should be increased on CV ownership. This will reduce adoption of CVs to a large extent,” it said.
The study underlined the importance of ensuring adequate charging infrastructure to eliminate anxiety among drivers. “EV manufacturers should provide a thorough test drive to their potential EV consumers,” it added.
