Exploring Youth's intentions to purchase electric and hybrid vehicles in Qatar: The role of moral norms and environmental concern

Abstract

Despite the global transition to green transportation, the adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles (E&HVs) in Qatar remains limited. This study examines the factors influencing youth intentions to buy E&HVs, employing the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) and assessing the mediating roles of moral norms and environmental concern. The analysis used partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to test the hypothesized relationships, and applied covariance-based SEM (CB-SEM) to validate robustness. The results reveal that attitude (β = 0.376), subjective norms (β = 0.255), and perceived behavioral control (β = 0.242) have significant direct effects on the intention to purchase E&HVs. In contrast, moral norms and environmental concern do not exhibit significant direct effects. Instead, moral norms exert indirect effects through all TPB constructs at the 1 % significance level, whereas environmental concern influences purchase intention indirectly via attitude (β = 0.073). The findings contribute to the TPB literature by highlighting how social and ecological values influence pro-environmental behavior in a resource-rich, high-income setting. The study recommends that policymakers should leverage social influence, enhance perceived behavioral control through infrastructure and financial incentives, and emphasize the ethical and environmental benefits of E&HVs to promote their adoption among youth in Qatar.