Consumer Perceptions and Behaviour in the Transition from Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles to Battery Electric Vehicles

In recent years, the world has been accelerating the development of electric vehicles, but the response of consumers is not consistent. This study focuses on how economic cognition, safety beliefs and technical knowledge affect consumers' willingness to shift from fuel vehicles to pure electric vehicles, and examines how these effects differ across income levels and household car scenarios. The study surveyed 296 car owners. The results showed that cost savings and driving experience were the main driving factors, while battery decay and endurance anxiety were the main obstacles. Regression analysis found that electric vehicle knowledge is the strongest predictor of purchase intention, economic factors and safety factors also have a significant positive effect. Different consumer groups have different preferences: people with higher incomes pay more attention to technology and performance, while buyers with limited budgets pay more attention to total cost of ownership. In addition, pure electric vehicles as a second commuter car are more acceptable than as the main household car. These results suggest that in order to accelerate the popularity of electric vehicles, not only price incentives, but also targeted consumer education and marketing for different usage scenarios are needed.