TY - JOUR
T1 - Adoption of alternative fuel vehicles
T2 - Influence from neighbors, family and coworkers
AU - Jansson, Johan
AU - Pettersson, Thomas
AU - Mannberg, Andrea
AU - Brännlund, Runar
AU - Lindgren, Urban
PY - 2017/7
Y1 - 2017/7
N2 - During the last years, many governments have set targets for increasing the share of biofuels in the transportation sector. Understanding consumer behavior is essential in designing policies that efficiently increase the uptake of cleaner technologies. In this paper we analyze adopters and non-adopters of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). We use diffusion of innovation theory and the established notion that the social system and interpersonal influence play important roles in adoption. Based on a nationwide database of car owners we analyze interpersonal influence on adoption from three social domains: neighbors, family and coworkers. The results point primarily at a neighbor effect in that AFV adoption is more likely if neighbors also have adopted. The results also point at significant effects of interpersonal influence from coworkers and family members but these effects weaken or disappear when income, education level, marriage, age, gender and green party votes are controlled for. The results extend the diffusion of innovation and AFV literature with empirical support for interpersonal influence based on objective data where response bias is not a factor. Implications for further research, environmental and transport policy, and practitioners are discussed.
AB - During the last years, many governments have set targets for increasing the share of biofuels in the transportation sector. Understanding consumer behavior is essential in designing policies that efficiently increase the uptake of cleaner technologies. In this paper we analyze adopters and non-adopters of alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs). We use diffusion of innovation theory and the established notion that the social system and interpersonal influence play important roles in adoption. Based on a nationwide database of car owners we analyze interpersonal influence on adoption from three social domains: neighbors, family and coworkers. The results point primarily at a neighbor effect in that AFV adoption is more likely if neighbors also have adopted. The results also point at significant effects of interpersonal influence from coworkers and family members but these effects weaken or disappear when income, education level, marriage, age, gender and green party votes are controlled for. The results extend the diffusion of innovation and AFV literature with empirical support for interpersonal influence based on objective data where response bias is not a factor. Implications for further research, environmental and transport policy, and practitioners are discussed.
KW - adoption
KW - alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs)
KW - interpersonal influence
KW - neighbor effect
KW - diffusion of innovation theory
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85019237891&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.trd.2017.04.012
DO - 10.1016/j.trd.2017.04.012
M3 - Article
SN - 1361-9209
VL - 54
SP - 61
EP - 73
JO - Transportation Research, Part D: Transport and Environment
JF - Transportation Research, Part D: Transport and Environment
ER -