Extending the theory of planned behavior with government support and perceived risk to test the adoption of light electric vehicles in Tainan

Abstract

Taiwan has become a pioneer in light electric vehicles (LEVs) despite limited government support (GS) and the perceived risks (PR) that discouraged the public from buying them. This article aims to confirm these two factors as key determinants for LEV adoption in Taiwan. The method relies on confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling to test the behavioral intention (BI) of Tainan youth to adopt LEVs. In particular, the method extends the theory of planned behavior by addressing GS and PR while testing behavioral control (BC) as mediator and demographics as moderator. The report's findings confirm the mediating role of BC but do not confirm the effect of subjective norm. Young adults emphasized GS as a key factor influencing their adoption of LEVs. These findings are further discussed to bridge literature gaps of early stage adoption. The article also explores the implications of its research findings and offers recommendations for future research.