Examining determinants of electric vehicle adoption among university-age Gen Z in Thailand: A PLS-SEM analysis of sustainable mobility

This study examined the factors influencing electric vehicle (EV) adoption intentions among Generation Z university students in Thailand by extending the Value-Belief-Norm (VBN) theory to incorporate cultural and technological dimensions. Thailand has adopted an ambitious "30@30″ initiative to reach 30% EV production by 2030, but research on the determinants of adoption among this strategically important demographic remains limited. A PLS-SEM analysis of 545 Thai university students was conducted to assess how environmental values, cultural orientation, technology self-efficacy, and digital nativity influenced mobility outcomes through sustainable identity and digital platform trust mechanisms. Results demonstrated that environmental values exerted the most decisive influence on sustainable mobility choices through identity mechanisms, with the path from environmental values to sustainable identity (β = 0.477) and subsequently to sustainable mode choice (β = 0.565) representing the most substantial relationship. Technology self-efficacy proved more influential than digital nativity, challenging prevailing assumptions about the automatic adoption of technological solutions by digital natives. Cultural orientation consistently shaped all the mediating mechanisms, highlighting the importance of Thai collectivist values in mobility decisions. Our findings extend the VBN theory to an emerging-market context, demonstrating how environmental values translate into behavior through identity formation rather than through direct effects. Practical implications include recommendations for identity-based marketing strategies, culturally framed policy communications that emphasize collective benefits, and educational initiatives that integrate environmental consciousness with digital literacy. These findings provide transferable insights for other emerging markets with collectivist cultural profiles and rapidly expanding EV sectors.