Proud to go electric: Overcoming perceived functional barriers to EV adoption through congruent messaging frames

Growing reports indicate a slowdown in electric vehicle (EV) sales, particularly among consumers yet to embrace this sustainable transportation option. A key functional barrier to adopting EVs relates to infrastructure, maintenance, and range anxiety issues. This study explores how marketing can address this barrier by framing messages to evoke anticipated pride in owning an EV, thus reducing range anxiety, charging inconvenience, and ultimately increasing purchase intentions. Grounded in construal level theory and affect-as-information theory, the study employs an online experiment with 223 Australian consumers yet to purchase an EV. Results reveal that concrete, self-targeted messages yield greater purchase intentions, driven by increased anticipated pride in ownership and reduced perceived functional barriers. These findings underscore the importance of framing in marketing messaging to encourage EV adoption and offer practical implications for EV brands and policymakers.