The Influence of Cultural Factors on Choosing Low-Emission Passenger Cars

Ioana Ancuta Iancu, Patrick Hendrick, Dan Doru Micu, Denisa Stet, Levente Czumbil and Stefan Dragos Cirstea ()
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Ioana Ancuta Iancu: Aero-Thermo-Mechanics, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
Patrick Hendrick: Aero-Thermo-Mechanics, Universite Libre de Bruxelles, 1050 Bruxelles, Belgium
Dan Doru Micu: Electrotechnics and Measurement, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Denisa Stet: Electrotechnics and Measurement, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Levente Czumbil: Electrotechnics and Measurement, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania
Stefan Dragos Cirstea: Power Systems and Management, Technical University of Cluj-Napoca, 400114 Cluj-Napoca, Romania

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 8, 1-18

Abstract: The decrease in greenhouse gas emissions by passenger cars is one of the key factors for climate protection measures. Besides EU strategies for low-emission mobility, policy makers must consider the behavioural factors of buyers. This study aims to cover this gap by investigating the relation between the national cultural dimensions (Hofstede model) and car adoption by fuel type in EU countries. This could help car sellers to find better solutions for advertising cars with medium and low greenhouse gas emissions. To find better ways to increase the usage of medium- and low-emission cars using targeted advertising, correlations and a multiple regression analysis were used. The results show that the consumer preference for one type of fuel is correlated with at least one of Hofstede’s six cultural dimensions: the power distance index; individualism versus collectivism; masculinity versus femininity; the uncertainty avoidance index; long-term orientation versus short-term normative orientation; indulgence versus restraint. The major conclusion of the study underlines that, with increases in the individualism versus collectivism and indulgence versus restraint scores, the usage of low- and medium-emission cars also increases, and with the increase in the power distance and uncertainty avoidance index, the usage of low- and medium emission cars decreases. At the same time, the driving preference for low- and medium-emission vehicles decreases with the tendency towards collectivism and restraint of EU countries.

Keywords: battery electric vehicles; plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; hybrid electric vehicles; CO 2 emissions; Hofstede; advertising (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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