3.2 Psychological Motivations
Apart from the questions regarding EV purchasing intention and sociodemographic
information, the respondents answered a set of nine questions relating to environmental
consciousness and attitudes to transportation on a 5-point Likert scale with the endpoints
defined as “strongly agree” and “strongly disagree”. A further one question addressed
attitudes to the future prospects for EVs, with responses ordered on a two-point scale
consisting of “agree” and “disagree”. These questions are listed in Table 3.
Based on these questions, motivational constructs fall into four groups. The first group
relates to environmental consciousness. This represents the respondents’ perceptions of
environmental benefits and compatibility with their green values. This can also be understood
as respondents’ environmental concerns and their belief in the positive consequences of
reducing car driving. The second group is concerned with the automobile dependency, which
Proceedings of the Eastern Asia Society for Transportation Studies, Vol.9, 2013
demonstrates respondents’ associations with auto-dependency. It refers to personal travel
habits, infrastructure construction and a self-image that favors automobile travel and sees
transportation alternatives as relatively inferior (in this case, the term “automobile” includes
cars, vans, light trucks, and SUVs). The third group relates to attitudes toward EVs, which
indicates respondents’ acknowledgement of the price and the basic requirements for
widespread adoption of EVs in the current market. It is also seen as a link to respondents’
financial status. The fourth group is concerned with attitudes toward the future prospects for
EVs. This is a reflection of respondents’ considerations and predictions related to the market
share of EVs and how it will change in the future