Influence and innovation – peers and priuses

Panel: 4. Transport and mobility: How to deliver energy efficiency

This is a peer-reviewed paper.

Authors:
Alison Pridmore, The Centre for Transport Research, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen St Mary's, United Kingdom
Jillian Anable, The Centre for Transport Research, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen, United Kingdom

Abstract

Innovative passenger vehicle technologies – hybrid, electric and hydrogen vehicles - are anticipated to make significant, essential, contributions to carbon reduction in the transport sector.

Current understanding of the social and behavioural processes which underpin consumer uptake of these vehicles is, however, limited. One area of increasing research interest is how an individual’s purchasing decisions can be influenced by other people’s behaviour – what their peers and others say and do. For example, it is suggested that the attractiveness of a new vehicle technology can increase with its market penetration. This can be linked to influence, for example, through conformity and learning from other people’s positive experiences.

This paper aims to contribute to this important area. First, presenting GIS based statistical analysis which identified ‘hotspots’ of ownership of hybrid electric vehicles in London, UK. This informed the choice of case study areas for the second phase - pilot qualitative interviews. Recruitment for the pilot interviews was challenging. Initial outcomes do, however, accord with the quantitative findings - suggesting a potential role for neighbourhood and peer effects in vehicle purchase decisions. The importance of brand loyalty and financial incentives, including exemption from the London Congestion Charge was also clear. While recruitment was more difficult than anticipated, the iterative methodology that resulted may be of wider academic benefit.