Towards Sustainable Transport in the Moroccan Context: The Key Determinants of Electric Cars Adoption Intention
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1. Introduction
Over the last few years, the emerging players in the automotive manufacturing sector have expedited the shift toward a greener and low-carbon automobile industry. The advancement of electric vehicles is seen as a crucial strategy for countries to address decentralized carbon emissions, fulfill emission reduction commitments, and assist enterprises in cost reduction and efficiency enhancement [1].
The substantial consumption of fossil energy and carbon emissions, primarily driven by motor vehicles [2], underscores the significance of automotive electrification for transportation decarburization, prompting numerous countries in recent years to actively encourage the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) [2,3]. In this context, Morocco is embracing sustainable mobility with the recent enforcement of the Euro6 emission standards from 1 January 2024, signaling a commitment to combat air pollution. Beyond pollution control measures, Morocco is working on a national sustainable mobility plan for 2030, which will reinforce public initiatives to encourage cleaner transportation, building upon earlier steps like waiving customs duties and annual special taxes on hybrid vehicles and EVs. Additionally, efforts to renew taxi and heavy vehicle fleets align with the new anti-pollution standards, and the development of a comprehensive sustainable mobility plan is expected to reshape existing public incentives.
As Morocco establishes itself as a significant player in the automotive industry, with plans to become a prominent exporter of vehicles to Europe, the launch of a 100% Moroccan-designed car and a EUR 50 million investment for a local production plant signal a notable growth trajectory. Furthermore, Morocco has already entered the electric vehicle market, exemplified by the production of an electric car with a range of 75 km and a three-hour charging time, demonstrating the country’s commitment to environmentally friendly transportation solutions.
Consolidating the urban public transport service is among the strategic choices of the new development model adopted by Morocco [4]. This model advocates for an ecological transition and a strong commitment to carbon neutrality by proposing to steer the urban transport ecosystem toward green mobility, thereby supporting Morocco’s positioning in the global value chain related to electric and hybrid mobility.
Emerging as a notable contender in the electric vehicle market, Morocco actively positions itself at the forefront of the industry, leveraging its existing dynamism in the automotive sector and various strengths that contribute to its success in the electric vehicle industry. According to the Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Morocco presently boasts a production capacity of around 40,000 electric cars per year and has set a target to elevate it to 100,000 by the year 2025. The Kingdom of Morocco also aspires to increase its production capacity to two million cars per year by 2030, enabling it to rank among the world’s top ten automotive manufacturers.
With a significant increase of 25.28% in sales of electrified vehicles in Morocco in 2023 compared to 2022, a noticeable trend is unfolding in the Kingdom. However, despite this noteworthy percentage, electrified vehicles currently represent only 4.5% of the Moroccan automotive market, totaling 7165 units sold out of a total market of 161,504 vehicles in 2023. This shift toward electrification raises questions among Moroccan consumers, prompting them to ponder the optimal choice between hybrid and electric vehicles.
EVs constitute an innovative solution capable of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and contributing to the alleviation of factors causing climate change [5,6]. Despite its introduction to the Moroccan market in 2017, the electric car remains vastly underutilized. Within the realm of EVs, the utilization of electric cars (ECs) can play a role in addressing environmental concerns. Hence, the enhancement of the ECs attractiveness involves identifying and understanding factors that could increase the adoption rate of these vehicles. Consequently, our study aimed to identify various factors that can positively influence Moroccans’ intention to adopt ECs, with a particular emphasis on the role of environmental concerns.
Numerous prior studies have examined the factors influencing the adoption of EVs in various countries, such as India [7], Saudi Arabia [8], Jordan [9], Spain [10], Pakistan [11], Malaysia [12], Norway [13], and China [14,15].
While previous studies predominantly addressed the broader category of EVs, our study focused on the determinants of the intention to adopt electric cars, providing a more detailed examination of this specific subset. Hence, there is still a lack of scholarly focus on the motivations behind the adoption and use of ECs in developing countries. Therefore, this study aimed to fill this gap by investigating the determinants of ECs adoption intention in the Moroccan context.
Our study delved into the following question: what are the key determinants that shape the adoption intention of ECs?
More specifically, the current study aimed to address the following derived questions:
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How does the relative advantage affect the PEU and GUS of ECs?
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What impact do the PEU, GUS, SIN, and ENC have on AEC?
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How do the PEU, GUS, and AEC collectively influence the intention to adopt ECs?
By delving into these research questions, this study makes a substantial contribution to the existing body of knowledge on utilizing the theory of planned behavior (TPB), and the technology acceptance model (TAM) to predict the intention to adopt ECs, taking into account environmental concerns. The rest of this paper is structured into five sections. The second section is dedicated to reviewing the current body of knowledge and proposing a research model. The third section outlines the methodology employed in this study. Subsequently, the fourth section presents the study findings. The final section is devoted to discussions, highlighting significant research implications, and suggesting directions for future studies.
2. Literature Review
As an extension of the theory of reasoned action (TRA), the TPB underscores that a positive influence on individual intention is achieved through attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control. This, in turn, enhances individual behavior [16]. Previous studies have extensively utilized the TPB for predicting behavioral intention toward EVs [17,18,19].
The TAM was initially introduced to comprehend the factors influencing behavioral intention and the use of a particular technology [20]. In accordance with this theory, the primary factor influencing an individual’s behavioral intention is their attitude toward a particular technology, which is determined by the perceived usefulness and ease of use of this technology. This model is widely employed to evaluate the factors influencing individuals’ intentions to adopt, accept, or purchase EVs [9,15,21].
Several previous research works have employed different theoretical approaches and models to investigate the determinants of electric vehicle adoption in various contexts (Table 1).
Building upon the foundation laid by these earlier studies, our research extended the application of the TPB and the TAM, integrating factors such as relative advantage and environmental concerns. This approach was informed by the latest advancements in the field, providing a comprehensive understanding of the determinants influencing the intention to adopt ECs. By incorporating these factors, we aimed to provide valuable insights into the complex decision-making processes surrounding the adoption of EVs. This broader perspective is essential for policymakers, businesses, and researchers seeking to promote sustainable transportation solutions.
2.1. Relative Advantage
The relative advantage (RAD) is defined as “the degree to which an innovation is perceived as being better than the idea it supersedes” [31]. The RAD refers to the degree to which an innovation is perceived as being better to alternative options [32]. It is determined not by the innovation’s objective advantage, but by the individual’s subjective perception of its advantages [33].
In this study, the RAD signified the degree to which electric cars were perceived as a more advantageous and practical mode of transportation compared to alternative vehicle types, such as hybrid, petrol, or diesel cars, for a potential use. In other words, individuals evaluated ECs based on how much better they were perceived to be in comparison to conventional vehicles, influencing their decision-making process when considering adopting ECs transportation.
Research has shown that RAD positively influences perceived ease of use, and perceived usefulness of a particular technology [34,35,36]. For instance, [35] confirmed that the RAD positively affects perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and behavioral intention. Moreover, [34] empirically validated the positive influence of RAD on the perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of the technology. More recently, [36] found that RAD serves as a predictor for the perceived usefulness of autonomous vehicles. From these studies, we can posit that the RAD associated with ECs may enhance the individual’s perceived ease of use (PEU) and contribute to a positive perception of their green usefulness (GUS). Consequently, we formulated the following assumptions:
H1.
RAD is positively related to PEU.
H2.
RAD is positively related to GUS.
2.2. Determinants of Attitude toward Using ECs
The TAM places attitude toward technology as a pivotal factor that significantly influences behavioral intention. Likewise, individual attitude is shaped by the ease of use and perceived usefulness associated with the technology [20]. The perceived ease of use (PEU) is characterized by an individual’s perception of how easy it would be to use a particular technology [20]. Additionally, the perceived usefulness explores the extent to which an individual perceives of the efficiency of electric cars functions. For the current study, green perceived usefulness (GUS) referred to the level to which an individual believed that their environmental sustainability efforts could be improved by utilizing ECs.
The positive impact of both the perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of a specific technology on attitude toward that technology has been validated in various previous empirical studies [37,38,39,40,41,42]. In the context of EVs, [41] argued that individuals’ attitudes toward behavior are significantly influenced by their perception of the usefulness and ease of use of EVs [41]. Furthermore, it is asserted in TAM 3 that the perceived ease of use plays a pivotal role in positively influencing the perceived usefulness of a specific technology [43,44]. The positive correlation between these variables was validated across various contexts, including electric motorcycles [11,40], fully automated vehicles [28], and EVs [39]. Based on the existing literature, we suggested the following assumptions:
H3.
PEU is positively related to GUS.
H4.
PEU is positively related to AEC.
H5.
GUS is positively related to AEC.
Environmental concern (ENC) is related to the individual’s recognition of environmental issues and their willingness to address and resolve them [45]. Previous studies confirmed the positive effect of ENC on individual attitude [46,47]. By adopting the TPB, [48] concluded that environmental concern is linked to attitude rather than behavioral intention directly. Ref. [49] confirmed the positive association between environmental concerns and attitudes toward electric scooters. In other words, individuals who demonstrate a heightened ENC are more likely to exhibit a positive attitude toward the use of environmentally friendly practices, including attitudes toward using ECs. Hence, we suggested that:
H6.
ENC is positively related to AEC.
Social influence (SIN) is a measure of the extent to which society or peers believe in individuals’ willingness to adopt new technology [50], such as ECs [51]. It encompasses the opinions of others regarding the importance of adopting EVs, including views from society, family, and close friends. As EVs represent the latest technology in the road transport sector, owning such a car is seen as a means of establishing identity and is perceived as a symbol of social status [23,52,53]. Studies indicate that opinions from society, family, friends, and colleagues can impact an individual’s attitude toward adopting a technology [54,55,56]. For instance, the positive influence of SIN on attitude toward adopting technology innovations has been confirmed. Furthermore, [55] argued that SIN is a key determinant of attitudes toward mobile app technology. Hence we posited that:
H7.
SIN is positively related to AEC.
2.3. ECs Adoption Intention
Behavioral intentions refer to an individual’s expressed likelihood or willingness to engage in a specific behavior in the future. Individuals who have a predisposition to embrace new technology are the ones who have expressed an intention to adopt or acquire it in the future [17,23]. In multiple technology acceptance theories, the importance of either the intention to use or the intention to adopt has been consistently demonstrated [50]. In the current study, the adoption intention of ECs is considered as an individual’s expressed likelihood or willingness to buy or to use ECs in the future.
Previous studies have demonstrated that perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness predict behavioral intention [34,42,57]. By examining the factors impacting the adoption of autonomous vehicles, [36] discovered that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use have a positive impact on users’ behavioral intention to utilize autonomous vehicles [36]. Ref. [15] also demonstrated that green perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, and environmental concern positively influence on individuals’ intentions to use EVs in China. Likewise, the positive association between these variables was also confirmed in Jordan [9]. Based on these studies, we supposed that:
H8.
PEU is positively related to AIN.
H9.
GUS is positively related to AIN.
According to the Ajzen’s TPB, the individual’s attitude constitutes one of three key factors influencing his or her behavioral intention [16]. Ref. [58] concluded from their meta-analysis that attitude stands out as the pivotal factor influencing behavioral intention [58]. The positive association between attitude–intention has been confirmed in prior literature [59], including studies related to EVs [17,60]. Based on the TAM, [14] verified that the attitude toward using EVs is the most crucial factor influencing behavioral intention [14]. The positive association between these two variables was also confirmed in Ghana [61] and Indonesia [17]. From these studies, we posited that:
H10.
AEC is positively related to AIN.
5. Discussion and Conclusions
The current study aimed to unveil the essential factors influencing the intention to adopt ECs in Morocco. To achieve this objective, we formulated a model based on Ajzen’s TPB and the TAM, by incorporating elements such as relative advantage and environmental concerns.
The results of the PLS-SEM confirmed the positive influence of relative advantage on both the perceived ease of use and green perceived usefulness. In other words, when ECs are perceived as having a more advantageous and practical mode of transportation compared to alternative vehicle types, individuals are more likely to find it easy to use and consider it useful in terms of environmental friendliness. These findings are consistent with conclusions reported in previous research studies [34,35]. In their analysis of factors influencing the autonomous vehicle adoption in China, [36] argued that relative advantage plays a crucial role in enhancing the perceived usefulness at the individual level. Additionally, [34] provided empirical evidence supporting the pivotal role of the technology’s relative advantage in enhancing both its ease of use and perceived usefulness.
The study results showed a positive association between ECs perceived ease of use and green perceived usefulness. In essence, the more individuals find ECs easy to operate, the higher their perception of the environmental usefulness of these vehicles. This finding aligns with previous studies [36,40,44], which also confirmed that an increased perception of technology ease of use plays a crucial role in enhancing the individual’s perceived usefulness of that technology. Ref. [40] identified a positive correlation between the ease of use of electric motorcycles and individuals’ perception of their utility. More recently, in the realm of fully automated vehicles, [28] revealed that perceived ease of use strongly predicts individual perceived usefulness.
Furthermore, the findings indicated a direct impact of perceived ease of use and green perceived usefulness on attitudes toward using ECs. These results are supported by earlier empirical studies [37,38,39,40,41,42]. Ref. [41] stated that people’s attitudes toward behavior are notably shaped by their perceptions of the ease of use and usefulness of EVs.
The findings unveiled a positive influence of environmental concern, and social influence on attitudes toward using ECs. In other words, individuals with a heightened environmental concern are more inclined to show a positive attitude toward adopting environmentally friendly practices, such as using ECs. Likewise, the opinion of family and close friends regarding the importance of adopting ECs play a central role in shaping individual attitudes toward adopting ECs. These results are in line with prior empirical studies that pointed out the positive influence of environmental concern [46,47] and social influence [54,55,56] on individuals’ attitudes.
Contrary to previous empirical studies emphasizing the importance of the technology perception of ease of use as a predictor of behavioral intention [36,42,57], the results of the current study attest to a lack of association between these two variables. This implies that individuals’ perceptions of the ease of using electric cars does not influence their intention to adopt these vehicles. One potential explanation for this phenomenon might be connected to individuals’ previous familiarity with similar technologies, the accessibility of charging infrastructure, or other external factors that shape their decision-making process regarding the adoption of ECs.
Finally, the findings revealed that green perceived usefulness and attitude toward using ECs positively enhanced ECs adoption intention, implying that better perception of green usefulness of ECs and better attitude toward using ECs significantly improves the individual adoption intention of ECs. These results are consistent with earlier studies, indicating that individuals with a higher level of green perceived usefulness [15], and positive attitudes toward using ECs [14,17,60], exhibit a heightened intention to adopt ECs. Likewise, [27] revealed that positive perceptions of technology usefulness and consumer attitudes significantly bolster EVs adoption intentions.
5.1. Study Implications
The current study aimed to unveil the determinants of individuals’ intention to adopt ECs in Morocco. Therefore, the first implication for this theory was related to the developed model that integrates the TPB and the TAM, which are extensively employed to study behavioral intention [81]. Furthermore, the current study findings contribute to the existing literature regarding the determinants of technology adoption intention, particularly recent research on the determinants of EVs adoption intention [14]. More precisely, the findings confirmed the positive impact of perceived ease of use on green perceived usefulness. Similarly, perceived ease of use, green perceived usefulness, and social influence were found to have a direct influence on attitudes toward using ECs, which in turn enhances individual attitudes toward adopting ECs. Another theoretical implication involves incorporating relative advantage and environmental concerns into our research model. The results confirmed the role of relative advantage in enhancing the perception of ECs ease of use and usefulness. While [11] argued that environmental concerns directly influence behavioral intention, the current study findings offer a new perspective by conforming the role of environmental concerns in improving individuals’ attitudes toward using ECs.
In addition to the theoretical implications, the study findings offer significant practical implications for public policymakers and manufacturers seeking to promote the adoption of electric vehicles in Morocco. Initially, the results confirmed the positive impact of the relative advantage in improving the perceived ease of use and the green perceived usefulness of ECs. Hence, manufacturers and policymakers can raise awareness about the advantages and benefits of ECs to enhance their adoption among individuals. Additionally, given the positive impact of green perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use on attitudes toward using ECs adoption, Moroccan policymakers are urged to prioritize investments in charging infrastructure and provide financial incentives to encourage citizens to adopt ECs.
Another practical direction involves implementing public awareness campaigns through radio, television, and the most widely used social networks in Morocco. The goal is to provide concrete information about the environmental benefits of electric cars, aiming to encourage environmentally conscious citizens to adopt and promote the adoption of this type of transport within their social circles.
5.2. Limitations and Areas for Future Research
Like any empirical research on technology adoption, including the adoption of electric cars, our study entails certain limitations that should be considered in forthcoming studies to delve deeper into the reasons behind the intention to adopt ECs. The first limitation of this study lies in its exclusive focus on a quantitative approach. To address this limitation, the incorporation of a qualitative approach alongside quantitative methods (mixed methods approach) could provide a more holistic perspective on the determinants of ECs adoption intention in Morocco.
The second limitation is associated with the study population, which solely targeted car users. Thus, to further delve into the analysis of determinants affecting ECs adoption, broadening the study to encompass experts and professionals engaged in the ECs production process could enhance the developed model and foster a better understanding of the role of ECs characteristics in their adoption process by individuals.
Moreover, the current study only considered six variables to explore the determinants of ECs adoption intention. Hence, future research could expand this model by analyzing the role of other factors such as ECs characteristics, social status, technophilia, trust, and individual characteristics.
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