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Title:

Significance of a Short-Term Test Drive for Prospective Plug-in Electric Vehicle Consumers: An Exploratory Study

Accession Number:

01595728

Record Type:

Component

Abstract:

The test drive is a well-known step in car buying. In the emerging plug-in electric vehicle (PEV) market, however, the influence of a pre-purchase test drive on a consumer’s inclination to purchase is unknown. Policy makers and industry participants both are eager to understand what factors motivate vehicle consumers at the point-of-sale. A number of researchers have used choice models to shed light on consumer perceptions of PEVs, and others have investigated consumer change in disposition toward a PEV over the course of a trial, wherein test driving a PEV may take place over a number of consecutive days, weeks or months. However, there is little written on the impact of a short-term test drive - a typical experience at dealerships or public “ride-and-drive” events. The impact of a typical test drive, often measured in minutes of driving, is not well understood. This paper first presents a synthesis of the literature on the effect of PEV test drives as they relate to consumer disposition toward PEVs. An analysis of data obtained from an Australian case study whereby attitudinal and stated preference data were collected pre- and post- test drive at public “ride-and-drive” event held Brisbane, Queensland in March 2014 using a custom-designed iPad application. Motorists’ perceptions and choice preferences around PEVs were captured, revealing the relative importance of their experience behind the wheel. Using the Australian context as a case-study, this paper presents an exploratory study of consumers’ stated preferences toward PEVs both before and after a short test drive.

Supplemental Notes:

This paper was sponsored by TRB committee ADC80 Standing Committee on Alternative Transportation Fuels and Technologies.

Monograph Accession #:

01584066

Report/Paper Numbers:

16-4680

Language:

English

Corporate Authors:

Transportation Research Board

500 Fifth Street, NW
Washington, DC 20001 United States

Authors:

Dini, Alina
Washington, Simon

Pagination:

12p

Publication Date:

2016

Conference:

Transportation Research Board 95th Annual Meeting

Location: Washington DC, United States
Date: 2016-1-10 to 2016-1-14
Sponsors: Transportation Research Board

Media Type:

Digital/other

Features:

Figures; References; Tables

Uncontrolled Terms:

Test drives

Geographic Terms:

Australia

Subject Areas:

Highways; Vehicles and Equipment

Source Data:

Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting 2016 Paper #16-4680

Files:

TRIS, TRB, ATRI

Created Date:

Jan 12 2016 6:04PM