User satisfaction with battery electric vehicles in South Korea

Battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have been promoted by the government over the last several years, driven by public concern over pollutant emissions from internal combustion engines. However, the conditions related to driving BEVs are not yet satisfactory for many BEV users, as evident from sluggish market growth compared with general market forecasts. Thus, a fundamental aspect of diagnosing the current conditions of BEV operation is to evaluate BEV user satisfaction. This study establishes hypothetical links between potential factors and BEV user satisfaction, and between BEV use satisfaction and intention to repurchase and recommend. The hypothetical links are specified using a partial least squares structural equation model (PLS-SEM) and estimated based on a survey of actual BEV owners (N=160) who had driven BEVs for at least six months. The outcomes of PLS-SEM suggest that seven relations out of nine hypothetical links were statistically significant. In particular, it is noticeable that the intention for cost-saving during operation is a key factor for BEV user satisfaction and that user satisfaction with range and charging has a positive effect on the overall satisfaction of BEV users. Furthermore, those who are satisfied with BEVs have the intention to repurchase and recommend BEVs to others. Because this study was conducted based on actual experience of BEV users, the findings could enhance understanding of the BEV driving environment and, thus, pave the way to provision of better service for BEV users.