Investigating the factors affecting electric scooter usage behavior with a proposed structural model

Abstract

Electric scooters are getting more and more popular due to their convenience, their environmental and economic benefits especially for young people. In this study, the factors affecting the use of e-scooters in Turkey were investigated with Partial Least Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) based on the Extended Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). In the study, the explanatory power of the model was tried to be increased by adding social environment effect, perceived pleasure and economic benefit variables to TAM. In the model, it is assumed that social influence and pleasure variables, which are defined as exogenous latent variables, will affect perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, and these two endogenous mediating latent variables will affect attitude and intention towards e-scooter use. In the study, the moderating role of the Covid19 effect on the use of electric scooter and also the importance-performance map analysis (IPMA) was carried out. The survey application was delivered to the participants in Turkey through an online survey via social media and analyses were carried out based on the responses of 346 participants. According to the result of the analysis, it was found out that the explanatory power of the model was high and compatible. It was realized that the economic benefits related to the use of electric scooter increased the behavior of using electric scooter.