Impact of Smart Cockpit of Japanese Electric Vehicles on Chinese Consumers' Willingness to Purchase

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of the country-of-origin image of Japan and smart cockpit features on Chinese consumers' willingness to purchase a Japanese-owned electric vehicle. Based on the Rational Behavior Theory and the Technology Acceptance Model, it is formulated hypotheses and a structural equation model, and empirical research was conducted through a questionnaire survey. In this study, the author analyzed 356 Chinese consumer's data by using SPSS and AMOS to reveal that perceived ease of use and country-of-origin image have a significant impact on Chinese consumers' willingness to purchase Japanese electric vehicles. Furthermore, it was also revealed that males were significantly influenced by the country-of-origin image in terms of gender. On the other hand, middle-aged and older consumers were significantly influenced by the country-of-origin image in terms of age. Therefore, the results suggest that Japanese automakers who propose to progress in the Chinese market need to improve the country-of-origin image of the target consumers by middle-aged and older males.