Influence of consumer attitudes and social interactions in electric vehicle purchasing: integrating agent based modelling and machine learning

Xu, Wen ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1745-5699, Harris, Irina ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0622-5123, Li, Jin ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4672-6806, Wells, Peter ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4376-7178 and Foxall, Gordon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3572-6456 2025. Influence of consumer attitudes and social interactions in electric vehicle purchasing: integrating agent based modelling and machine learning. IMA Journal of Management Mathematics 10.1093/imaman/dpaf019

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Abstract

Understanding consumer attitudes towards electric vehicle (EV) purchasing is essential for addressing the slow adoption rate. Traditional aggregated models of EV adoption employ a top-down approach, yet often fail to capture individual-level attitudes. In contrast, agent-based modelling (ABM) enables a bottom-up approach that reflects the heterogeneity in consumer decision-making and simulates social interactions. This study introduces an integrated model to analyse consumer attitudes towards EV adoption, incorporating empirical data and synthesised social interactions through ABM. The model undergoes micro-validation and optimisation through parameter variation experiments and supervised machine learning (SML) methods. Results indicate that consumer attitudes towards EV purchasing are positively influenced by early adopters and environmental factors. These attitudes are further shaped by observing EVs in residential areas and receiving positive feedback from social circles. Perceptions of EVs as an environmentally friendly alternative also significantly enhance these attitudes. These findings suggest that marketers should develop targeted strategies for specific consumer segments, and policymakers should prioritise environmental awareness campaigns to drive positive public EV attitudes in the UK. This study emphasises the importance of incorporating consumer heterogeneity and social interactions in attitude formation, which offers insights into EV promotion within Rogers’s Diffusion of Innovations Theory.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Published Online
Status:	In Press
Schools:	Schools > Engineering Schools > Business (Including Economics)
Publisher:	Oxford University Press
ISSN:	1471-678X
Date of First Compliant Deposit:	6 June 2025
Date of Acceptance:	27 May 2025
Last Modified:	13 Jun 2025 16:15
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/178838

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