Consumer Behavioral Factors Influencing Electric Vehicle Purchase Decisions: Evidence from Tirupati City

The global electric vehicle market is undergoing a change based on consumer behavior that is driven by various factors specific to different regions, such as environmental concerns, increasing fuel costs, and supportive policies from governments. This study empirically investigated the influence of consumer behavior in the context of EV purchase decision-making using behavioral variables such as environmental awareness, perceived economic benefits, perceived social influence, brand perception, charging infrastructure, and government incentives in Tirupati City. A structured questionnaire was administered to 312 urban consumers in Tirupati City, and the data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation, and multiple regression. The scale showed high reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.87). Environmental awareness (β = 0.42, p < 0.01) and perceived economic benefits (β = 0.36, p < 0.01) significantly predicted EV purchase intention, explaining 64% of the variance (R² = 0.64). Concerns over charging infrastructure and range anxiety were negatively moderated (β = −0.21, p < 0.05), and social influence had a positive impact on consumer attitudes (β = 0.29, p < 0.05). The findings offer a practical insight for policymakers and marketers to promote EV adoption in emerging urban markets. We conducted a survey of urban consumers with a structured questionnaire and conducted statistical analyses to identify significant relationships between behavioral variables and purchase intention. Our results indicate that environmental awareness and perceived economic gains are the most important drivers of purchase intention, while concerns about infrastructure and range anxiety act as moderating barriers, and social influence and awareness campaigns may affect consumer attitudes toward EV adoption, which can provide a useful insight for policymakers, automobile manufacturers, and marketers to develop strategies for promoting electric vehicle acceptance in emerging urban markets.