Media attention and electric vehicle adoption: Evidence from 275 cities in China

Can changes in consumer psychology induced by media attention lead to pro-environmental transportation behaviors or choices? In response, we match a unique dataset on media attention with electric vehicle (EV) sales data in China, employing a two-way fixed effects model and an instrumental variable (IV) method to estimate the impact of media attention on EV adoption. Our research found that media attention significantly accelerates the market diffusion of EVs. This result is substantiated through IV tests and a series of robustness checks. Additionally, the mediation effect model revealed that media attention indirectly influences EV adoption through consumer EV attention, government EV focus, EV technological innovation, and EV purchase subsidies. We also discovered that the effect of media attention on EV adoption is not only positively moderated by the level of consumer policy awareness and education but is also more pronounced in areas with high population density, high income, high education levels, and a high air quality index. Our findings not only provide empirical evidence for understanding the role of social psychological factors and external media stimuli in promoting behavioral changes towards environmental protection but also offer guidance for policymakers and businesses in implementing effective market promotion strategies and formulating relevant policies, especially in enhancing public cognition and acceptance of EVs.