APPLYING A BEHAVIORAL CHANGE MODEL TO

THE ADOPTION OF FREIGHT ELECTRIC VEHICLES:

LESSONS FOR EFFECTIVE INSTRUMENTS

URBE Conference

1 and 2 October 2015

Rome, Italy

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Susanne Balm

Project leader E-mobility & City Logistics

Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences

Co-authors:

Jop Spoelstra (Technolution, Netherlands)

Hans Quak (TNO, Netherlands)

AMSTERDAM UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES

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• Based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands

• 50,000 students and 3,600 employees

• 80 bachelor and master programmes

• Practical orientated research addressing real-life challenges

• Close collaboration with both academics and professionals

• A joint Executive Board with the University of Amsterdam

RESEARCH PROGRAM

URBAN TECHNOLOGY

Technologies for a sustainable, liveable and connected city

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Smart Mobility

& LogisticsSmart Urban

Design

Smart Energy

Systems

Circular Design

and Smart

Production

Urban analytics

Business Models

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We support public and private organizations in their ambition towards zero-

emission city logistics

WHY?

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Noise Vibrations

CongestionAir pollution

AIR POLLUTION

Share of trips

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Contribution to NOx

NOISE POLLUTION: “A MODERN PLAGUE”

Elevated noise levels can cause:

• Hypertension

• Sleep disturbance

• Stress

• Increased workplace accident rates

• Aggression and other anti-social behaviors

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SUPPLIERS EFFORT

Allow a trial period, to get familiair with the use

HOW TO SUPPORT THE UPTAKE OF EFV?

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PROCUREMENT

Sustainable transport as selection criteria

JOINT COMMITMENT

• Green Deal Zero Emission City Logistics

• Projects for knowledge and implementation

POLICY

• Give exemeptions to electric

vehicles

• Prohibit use of conventional

vehicles

CLEANING LOGISTICS FLEET SEEMS

CRUCIAL BUT GOES SLOWLY

• Many incentive programs exists

• But, behavioral aspects of the target group are often left out of

scope

• Research on the preconditions for EFV uptake from a non-users’s

behavioural perspective is lacking

• We have taken the potential adopter as the center of our research

• Use of behavioural change model (Balm, 2000) and innovation

theory of Rogers (1961)

• First a personal example ….

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Who is aware of challenges that cities

face with air and noise pollution?

Who knows how the

environmental impact of

motorized traffic can be

reduced?

Who prefers to use zero

emission vehicles?

Who is able to use zero

emission vehicles, for

example to go to work?

Who uses zero emission vehicles

(on occasion)?

Who only uses zero emission vehicles?

1. Awareness

2.

Understanding

3.

Willingness

4.

Ability

5. Implementation

6. Confirmation

Based on Balm (2000)

RATE OF ADOPTION

The speed of adoption, depends on different determinants. And

hence, can be influenced in different ways (Rogers, 1961):

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• Perceived attributes (A-F)

• Type of innovation decision (G)

• Nature of the social system (H)

• Communication channels (I)

• Promotion (J)

PERCEIVED ATTRIBUTES

D. Triability

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A. Relative advantage B. Compatibility

E. Observability F. Network effects

C. Complexibility

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G. TYPE OF INNOVATION DECISION

Individual Group Authority

H. NATURE OF THE SOCIAL SYSTEM

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I. COMMUNICATION CHANNELS

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J. PROMOTION EFFORTS

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A. Relative

advantage

B.

Compatibility C. Complexibility D. Triability

E.

Observability

F. Network

effects

Create awareness by

making the use of EFV

visible (e.g. logo on

vehicle)

There will be more attention for

EFV when it benefits a common

goal (e.g. clean air)

Create attention with

promotion

The use of EFV should not

be too complex to understand

and to perceive the

advantages

Communicate about the pros

and cons, risks and

requirements (e.g.

disemminating pracital

oriented facts).

- Extending the range of

EFV improves its

suitability for various trips.

- Reducing purchase

and adoption costs

Fast charging infrastructure

can make more companies

able to adopt EFV

- If a group of companies jointly

decide to adopt they can benefit

from economies of scale and

share infrastructure

- Authorities can subsidies

procurement costs and facilitate

infrastructure

Use interpersonal channels

to clarify constraints/barriers

Allow for a test drive

period.

- Demand for sustainable

transport services (e.g. through

public procurement or zero-

emission delivery crtieria) fosters

adoption.

- Jointly commit to adoption

Demand for sustainable transport

services (zero-emission delivery

as criteria) fosters adoption.

Offer attractive sales

conditions for the first

vehicle.

Minimise drawbacks by

reducing the complexibility

Those who have

implemented EFV can be

used to make it visible for

others.

Authorities can impose rules that

benefit the use of EFV or restrict

conventional vehicles.

Communication is important

to ensure confirmation (e.g.

share experiences and

eliminate difficulties).

Users can use EFV to

promote their

(sustainable) business

Perceived attributes

J. Promotion

efforts

I. Communi-

cation Channels

H. Nature of the

social system

G. Type of

innovation-decision

2. Understanding

1. Awareness

Introduce trial

possibilities.

EFV is more easily

adopted when it matches

with the corporate values

(e.g. sustainability)

Further improve

functional attributes,

symbolic value, and

environmental

performance

Determinants for the rate of adoption

6. Confirmation

5. Implementation

4. Ability

Behavioral phase

of potential

adopter ↓

a. Intrinsic

b. Extrinsic

3. Willingness

The view of opinion leaders (in

relevant networks) can

influence/change attitudes

It benefits the adoption if the

use of EFV is

complementary to other

goods and services (e.g.

electric cooling)

Social norms can create

willingness, for example when it

is no longer accepted that

companies pollute the

environment

Authorities can impose rules that

benefit the use of EFV or restrict

conventional vehicles

BEHAVIORAL PHASE

DETERMINANTS FOR THE RATE OF ADOPTION

USE OF THE FRAMEWORK

• Assist suppliers, policy makers, experts and opinion

leaders in their ambition to increase the uptake of

EFV

• Show how efforts and target groups should be

managed to increase the effectiveness of

governmental, commercial and research spending

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A. Relative

advantage

B.

Compatibility C. Complexity D. Triability E. Observability F. Network effects

Create awareness by

making the use of EFV

visible (e.g. logo on

vehicle)

There will be more attention

for EFV when it benefits a

common goal (e.g. clean air)

Create attention with

promotion

The use of EFV should

not be too complex to

understand and to

perceive the advantages

Communicate about the

pros and cons, risks and

requirements (e.g.

disemminating pracital

oriented facts).

- Extending the range of

EFV improves its

suitability for various

trips.

- Reducing purchase

and adoption costs

Fast charging

infrastructure can make

more companies able to

adopt EFV

- If a group of companies jointly

decide to adopt they can benefit

from economies of scale and

share infrastructure

- Authorities can subsidies

procurement costs and facilitate

infrastructure

Use interpersonal channels

to clarify

constraints/barriers

Allow for a test drive

period.

Demand for sustainable transport

services (e.g. through green

delivery crtieria) fosters EFV

adoption

Offer attractive sales

conditions for the first

vehicle

Honor drivers. Make

sure they are satisfied to

drive EFV.

Minimise drawbacks by

reducing the complexity

- Demand for sustainable

transport services

- Authorities can impose rules that

benefit the use of EFV or restrict

conventional vehicles

Communication is

important to ensure

confirmation (e.g. share

experiences and eliminate

difficulties)

Users can use EFV to

promote their (sustainable)

business

Perceived attributes

J. Promotion

efforts

I. Communication

Channels

H. Nature of the

social system

G. Type of innovation-

decision

2. Understanding

1. Awareness

Introduce trial

possibilities.

EFV is more easily

adopted when it

matches with the

corporate values (e.g.

sustainability)

Further improve

functional attributes,

symbolic value, and

environmental

performance

Determinants for the rate of adoption

6. Confirmation

5. Implementation

4. Ability

Behavioral phase

of potential

adopter ↓

a. Intrinsic

b. Extrinsic

3. Willingness

The view of opinion leaders

(in relevant networks) can

influence/change attitudes

It benefits the adoption if

the use of EFV is

complementary to other

goods and services (e.g.

electric cooling)

Social norms can create

willingness, for example

when it is no longer accepted

that companies pollute the

environment

Authorities can impose rules that

benefit the use of EFV or restrict

conventional vehicles

EXAMPLES

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CONCLUDING REMARKS

• National and EU research and demonstration projects contribute to the awareness and understanding phase• Development and dissemination of knowledge and experiences

• Enable observability and triability

• Purchase funding enables preliminary implementation

• “Real-world” ability and willingness should receive special attention in these projects

• Organization that have embedded sustainable transport in their business values show succesful adption and confirmation

• The influence of the social system is still limited• outspoken preference for sustainable transport among public authorities and in B2B and B2C

market is needed for confirmation

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