What are the barriers to widespread adoption of battery electric vehicles? A survey of public perception in Tianjin, China

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) are an effective way to reduce fossil fuel consumptions and greenhouse gas emissions. This study employs the structural equation model and chi-square test to explore public perception barriers to widespread adoption of BEVs in Tianjin. Based on a sample of 476 urban respondents collected by questionnaire, it finds that consumer interest in BEVs is relatively low and a large proportion of the respondents have a “wait and see” attitude. Consumers are unsure about BEVs performance, with safety, reliability, and range per charge being the top three concerns. Respondents who focus on vehicle performance express significantly lower BEV acceptance. High battery cost is the main technological barrier to widespread BEV adoption. In terms of public service support, poor public charging infrastructure ranks as the largest impeditive. In terms of respondent personal characteristics, older respondents have a more optimistic attitude to BEVs than younger generations, more respondents express interest to adopt BEVs as the second family car, experienced drivers are more concerned with the cost of battery and maintenance, and consumers who are more concerned about the environment are more likely to adopt BEVs.