Monday 8 July 2013

EV consumer segmentation

Who buys (or doesn't buy) electric cars?

This graphic is from a report by the Energy Technologies Institute titled 'Transport - an affordable transition to sustainable and secure energy for light vehicles in the UK'

 Their consumer research revealed eight unique consumer segments:

Plug in Pioneers – A very early adopter group.

Zealous Optimists – Early adopters of plug-in vehicles generally.

Willing Pragmatists – Early adopters of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles specifically.

Anxious Aspirers – A group enthusiastic about plug-in vehicles generally, but who have strong actual and perceived constraints to adoption.

Uninspired Followers – A sceptical group without strong opinions but a lack of enthusiasm about plug-in vehicle technology.

Conventional Sceptics – A sceptical group who question the benefits of plug-in vehicles.

Image-conscious Rejecters – A decidedly negative group who like very little about plug-in vehicles.

Company Car Drivers – who show signs of openness towards plug-in vehicles, particularly plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and particularly as a second car (although the choice experiment indicates significant barriers to converting ‘interest’ to ‘purchase’).