Understanding Adoption Barriers and Consumer Readiness for Electric Vehicles in Tier-2 India: A Comprehensive Study in Jalandhar City

Electric vehicles (EVs) have become the focus of the whole world in the transition to sustainable transportation as a substitute to conventional vehicles with fuel. Electric mobility is being encouraged by the governments and automotive companies to minimize carbon emission, enhance air quality, and curb reliance on fossilized fuels. Nevertheless, introduction of electric vehicles in most of the developing nations especially in Tier-2 cities in India is still comparatively low owing to various economical, technological and infrastructural hurdles. The paper will review obstacles and consumer willingness to the EV adoption in the city of Jalandhar through psychological, financial, infrastructural, and social factors that predispose consumer attitudes and buying intentions. A structured questionnaire survey was conducted using the primary data collected on 158 respondents who lived in Jalandhar. Statistical analysis was applied to the data collected by using the statistical methods such as descriptive analysis, percentage analysis, chi-square tests, correlation analysis, and regression analysis. Those findings show that despite all the environmental and economic advantages of electric vehicles, the issues of short driving range, battery life, cost of initial purchase and the availability of chargers still influence the choice of adopting an electric vehicle. The results indicate that the development of charging infrastructure and financial incentives are significant factors to enhance consumer preparedness. The paper can offer useful lessons to policymakers, urban planners, and EV manufacturers to develop policies that expedite the adoption of electric vehicles in Tier-2 cities and enable them to switch to sustainable transportation systems.