DETERMINANTS OF ELECTRIC VEHICLE ADOPTION: A PRISMA-BASED SYSTEMATIC REVIEW OF CONSUMER PERCEPTIONS AND BEHAVIOURAL INTENTIONS IN THE INDIAN CONTEXT

Authors

  • Rupinder Kaur Assistant Professor, Department of Business Management and Commerce, Desh Bhagat University, Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab, India Author
  • Dr. Tavneet K Reen Research Scholar, Department of Business Management and Commerce, Desh Bhagat University, Mandi Gobindgarh, Punjab, India Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.29121/ShodhPrabandhan.v3.i2.2026.106

Keywords:

Electric Vehicle Adoption, Consumer Perception, Behavioural Intention, Charging Infrastructure, Policy Incentives, Systematic Review, Prisma, India, Punjab

Abstract

Purpose: Despite the bold EV penetration targets set in India and in the state of Punjab, and significant fiscal and infrastructural incentives provided for the adoption of EVs, the actual uptake of EVs does not match the policies. This study aims to integrate the existing, disparate findings from the empirical literature on the determinants affecting consumer perceptions, attitudes, behavioural intentions and actual EV adoption, and identify a research agenda, particularly in the Indian and Punjab context.

Design/Methodology/Approach: 1,229 records were retrieved after performing a structured search in Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect and Google Scholar (2009–2025) and supplemented by using reference chaining, following the PRISMA 2020 protocol. Following the removal of duplicates, title/abstract screening and assessment of full text for eligibility, 20 studies were selected for thematic synthesis of their qualitative results. The study context, design, determinant–outcome associations reported in the study, and sample were identified and extracted, and evidence was synthesized with the five behavioural theories (TPB, TAM, DOI, VBN and the S–O–R framework).

Findings: Charging infrastructure, perceived/upfront cost and environmental concern were the most commonly reported determinants while social influence, technological convenience, and range anxiety were reported next. Government incentives and policy were a recurring moderator of the intention–adoption relationship and were not a direct cause. The synthesis verifies a long-standing finding of intention–action gaps (positive attitudes and intentions do not always lead to actual purchase), and most evidence from India is based on convenience, small, urban samples, that lack the heterogeneity found across regions and demographics.

Originality/Value: The review combines determinant-level evidence in an attitude–intention–adoption relationship moderated by policy and provides a unified conceptualization and prioritized policy research agenda for EV markets in emerging economies based on theory, longitudinal, and regionally representative approaches.

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Published

2026-07-08