Investigating the Barriers to Electric Vehicle Adoption among Older Adults using Grey Relational Analysis: A Cross-country Survey

Abstract

The adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) is a critical step towards the achievement of sustainable transportation, mitigated environmental challenges, and reduction in dependence on fossil fuels. In recent years, the popularity of EVs has grown, yet their adoption among seniors (older adults aged 50 and above) remains a challenge. This paper presents a comparative analysis of the barriers to EV adoption among seniors in two major economies, China and Russia. These two major economies have vast territories and significant transportation demands and as such they play crucial roles in the global shift towards EV adoption. We collected data from Russian and Chinese senior citizens using a comprehensive drafted questionnaire (252 respondents). Also, the Dynamic Grey Relational Analysis (DGRA) is used to analyze the quantitative data and rank the barriers to EV adoption. Our results suggest the inability of seniors to smartly locate available charging stations as the barrier to adopting EVs in China, while the lack of charging infrastructure at home is identified as the main barrier for seniors in Russia. Our findings provide valuable insights for manufacturers, technology firms, and policymakers, in the ongoing promotion of electric mobility.