Determining Factors of Consumers’ Choice of Sport Utility Vehicles in an Isolated Energy System: How Can We Contribute to the Decarbonization of the Economy?

Alfredo J. Ramírez-Díaz (), Francisco Ramos-Real, María Gracia Rodríguez-Brito, María Carolina Rodríguez-Donate and Andrés Lorente de las Casas
Additional contact information
Alfredo J. Ramírez-Díaz: Department of Computer Sciences and System Engineering, University of La Laguna, 38203 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
María Gracia Rodríguez-Brito: Department of Economics, Accounting and Finance, University of La Laguna, 38071 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
María Carolina Rodríguez-Donate: Department of Applied Economics and Quantitative Methods, University of La Laguna, 38071 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain
Andrés Lorente de las Casas: Department of Economics, Accounting and Finance, University of La Laguna, 38071 San Cristóbal de La Laguna, Spain

Energies, 2022, vol. 15, issue 17, 1-21

Abstract: This paper analyses the profile of individuals who decide to purchase a Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) in a medium-sized isolated island system such as Tenerife Island. To achieve this objective, we used a survey conducted in 2017 to identify the characteristics of the individuals most likely to choose an SUV or another type of vehicle or be undecided. Subsequently, a discrete choice model was estimated to assess the probability that an individual chooses one of the three options as a function of their socio-economic characteristics, mobility routines, vehicle attributes and psychosocial traits. The results show the need to adopt energy policy measures related to vehicle choice, as they put the fulfilment of the decarbonization objectives for the energy transition in the Canary Islands at risk. Firstly, the authorities should carry out campaigns to achieve a more environmentally conscious behaviour by highlighting the higher consumption and emission levels of this type of vehicle. Secondly, subsidies for more efficient new vehicles and taxation should promote the purchase of low-emission vehicles to compensate for the greater willingness to pay of SUV buyers. In particular, purchase taxation should be linked to emission levels rather than only considering power, engine characteristics or labelling.

Keywords: Sport Utility Vehicles; psychosocial traits; island regions; profiles consumers; car markets; discrete choice models (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/17/6454/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/17/6454/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:15:y:2022:i:17:p:6454-:d:906116

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().