Are carsharing users more likely to buy a battery electric, plug-in hybrid electric or hybrid electric vehicle? Powertrain choice and shared mobility in Switzerland

Abstract

The mobility system is undergoing a paradigm shift from fossil fuel-based mobility towards carbon neutrality and greater energy efficiency. Yet this transformation is still in its infancy. In order to reach the CO2 target defined by the Paris Agreement, an increased use of sharing and electric vehicles is suggested. While many scholars have already investigated the factors relevant for promoting the use of sharing or electric vehicles, less is known about the interplay between experience with carsharing and future car buying decisions. We thus adopted a stated choice survey with 995 participants randomly drawn from the German and French-speaking population of Switzerland to test the drivetrain purchase preferences of users with and without carsharing experience. Results suggest that carsharing users are two times more likely to buy an electric-drive vehicle, i.e. battery electric, plug-in hybrid or hybrid electric vehicle, compared to non-carsharing users, even after controlling for socio-demographics, mobility characteristics, values and pro-environmental attitudes.