Keywords
Electric vehicles
Generation Z
Perceived behavioural control
Purchase intention
Subjective norm
How to Cite
Abstract
This study examines the psychological and social determinants of electric vehicle (EV) purchase intention among Cambodian Generation Z university students, addressing limited evidence on sustainable mobility adoption in emerging markets. Extending the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), the study investigates the direct relationships of subjective norm, attitude, and perceived behavioural control with purchase intention, alongside the mediating role of attitude. Using a quantitative cross-sectional design, survey data from 280 undergraduate students at BELTEI International University were analysed through partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings reveal significant positive associations between purchase intention and perceived behavioural control (β = 0.411), attitude (β = 0.323), and subjective norm (β = 0.205), with perceived behavioural control emerging as the strongest direct predictor. Subjective norm (β = 0.417) and perceived behavioural control (β = 0.466) were also positively associated with attitude. Furthermore, attitude partially mediated the relationships between subjective norm and purchase intention (β = 0.135) and between perceived behavioural control and purchase intention (β = 0.150). The model explained 73.1% of the variance in purchase intention. The study contributes to TPB-based sustainable consumption research by highlighting the complementary roles of perceived ownership feasibility, social influence, and attitude formation in Cambodia's developing EV market. The findings offer practical insights for consumer engagement and electric mobility initiatives, while remaining specific to the surveyed university population.
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