Energy saving behaviour and willingness to purchase EV among Malaysian: The consumption values perspective

Abstract

Adopting electric vehicles is a vital strategy for mitigating climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the transportation sector. However, electric vehicles adoption in Malaysia remains slow despite the nation's ambitious carbon reduction goals. This study investigates the role of consumption values in influencing energy-saving behaviors and willingness to purchase electric vehicles among Malaysian consumers, using the theory of consumption value as a guiding framework. A quantitative survey was conducted among 200 respondents from the Klang Valley region to assess their consumption values, energy-saving behaviors, and willingness to adopt electric vehicles. The findings revealed that functional, conditional, and epistemic values positively influenced the willingness to purchase electric vehicles, while social and conditional values positively affected energy-saving behaviors. Additionally, energy-saving behaviors mediated the relationship between social and conditional values and the willingness to purchase electric vehicles. This study contributes to the literature on electric vehicle adoption in Malaysia by emphasizing the significance of consumption values and energy-saving behaviors, offering actionable insights for policymakers and industry stakeholders to design effective strategies for promoting electric vehicle adoption. Future research could explore regional variations and longitudinal impacts of energy-saving behaviors on sustainable technology adoption.