Examining behavioural intention to adopt electric scooters among youth: an extended TAM perspective

The rapid growth of micromobility presents opportunities for more sustainable urban transport; however, adoption remains uneven in emerging markets. This study examines the determinants of young people’s behavioural intention (BI) to adopt electric scooters (e-scooters) in Muscat, Oman. It integrates constructs from the Technology Acceptance Model, the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology, and the Diffusion of Innovations theory. Data were collected from 500 respondents using convenience sampling and analysed using structural equation modelling (SEM). Following model refinement to address validity concerns, perceived ease of use, facilitating conditions, and social influence emerged as the strongest predictors of BI. Perceived usefulness and compatibility also had weaker, but statistically significant, effects. In turn, BI strongly predicted e-scooter adoption. The findings indicate that usability, infrastructure readiness, and social acceptance may be more influential than functional benefits in shaping micromobility adoption in emerging urban contexts. Although the study provides empirical evidence from an underexplored regional context, its findings should be interpreted cautiously because the non-probability sampling design limits generalisability to the wider Omani population. The study highlights the importance of contextual factors in technology adoption and provides insights relevant to sustainable urban mobility initiatives under Oman Vision 2040.