Assessing environmental concerns, technological usefulness, and adoption drivers of electric three-wheelers in urban transportation systems

Pushpam, T.D.; Chandrasekar, T.; Sivakumar, D.

doi:10.22034/IJHCUM.2025.04.10

Assessing environmental concerns, technological usefulness, and adoption drivers of electric three-wheelers in urban transportation systems

https://doi.org/10.22034/IJHCUM.2025.04.10

Volume 10, Issue 4 - Serial Number 40
Autumn 2025

Pages 749-772

International Journal of Human Capital in Urban Management

Document Type : ORIGINAL RESEARCH ARTICLE

Authors

T.D. Pushpam ¹^{, 2}

T. Chandrasekar ¹

D. Sivakumar ³

¹ Department of Business Administration, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, Srivilliputhur, Tamil Nadu 626126, India.

² Department of Business Administration, Saintgits Institute of Management, Kottayam, Kerala, India

³ Kalasalingam School of Agriculture and Horticulture, Kalasalingam Academy of Research and Education, Krishnankoil, Srivilliputhur, Tamil Nadu 626126, India.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to examine the factors influencing Switching Intentions toward electric three-wheelers within the urban transportation context of Kerala, India. Given the increasing need for sustainable urban mobility, understanding the behavioural drivers behind adopting electric three-wheelers is critical in promoting greener transport solutions.
METHODS: The research applied the Push-Pull-Mooring framework to analyze the influence of various factors on Switching Intentions. Data were collected through snowball sampling from 457 respondents involved in three-wheeler transport systems. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was employed to test the relationships between the factors and Switching Intentions.
FINDINGS: The results revealed that the push factors of Awareness of Consequences (β = 0.283, p < 0.000) and Environmental Concerns (β = 0.119, p < 0.005), the pull factor of Perceived Technological Usefulness (β = 0.152, p < 0.000), and the mooring factor of Herding Bias (β = 0.341, p < 0.000) significantly influenced Switching Intentions. However, Policy Support (β = 0.007, p > 0.829) and Personal Innovativeness (β = 0.047, p > 0.163) were found to be insignificant. Additionally, Switching Intention strongly predicted actual Use Behaviour (β = 0.697, p < 0.000) and Intention to Recommend electric three-wheelers (β = 0.437, p < 0.000).
CONCLUSION: The study highlighted the importance of environmental awareness and technological perceptions in driving the adoption of electric three-wheelers. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers, manufacturers, and stakeholders to foster sustainable urban infrastructure development and address environmental challenges by promoting electric three-wheeler adoption. However, the study is limited by its geographic scope and reliance on self-reported data, which may introduce biases. Future research could explore longitudinal studies across diverse urban contexts to assess evolving adoption trends and the long-term impact of policy interventions.

Graphical Abstract

Assessing environmental concerns, technological usefulness, and adoption drivers of electric three-wheelers in urban transportation systems

Keywords

Public transport

Push-Pull-Mooring framework

Sustainable urban infrastructure

Switching intention

Urban mobility trends

Subjects

Sustainable urban infrastructure

OPEN ACCESS

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