research report

An Examination of the Impact That Electric Vehicle Incentives Have on Consumer Purchase Decisions Over Time

Areas of Expertise

Zero-Emission Vehicles & Low-Carbon Fuels

Abstract

The research team investigates the impacts of a combination of incentives on the purchase decisions of electric vehicle (EV) buyers in California from 2010 through 2017. The team employs a comprehensive survey of over 14,000 purchasers of EVs in California. The survey covers a range of purchase intentions, general demographics, and the importance of various incentives. The results indicate that the most important incentives for plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) owners are the federal tax credit, the state rebate, and HOV lane access. In addition, the importance of the incentives and their associated effect on purchase behavior has been changing over time: respondents are more likely to change their decisions and not buy a vehicle at all as time passes and the technology moves away from early adopters.