This document discusses applying a behavioral change model to increasing adoption of freight electric vehicles (EFV). It presents a behavioral change model with 6 phases - awareness, understanding, willingness, ability, implementation, and confirmation. It analyzes how different factors like perceived attributes, type of innovation decision, nature of the social system, and promotion efforts can influence the rate of adoption. It provides examples of how to target each phase, like creating awareness through visibility, increasing understanding through education, and supporting ability through infrastructure and subsidies. The conclusion emphasizes the need to focus on real-world ability and willingness in demonstration projects, and for sustainable transport preferences to be embedded in organizations and society to drive long-term confirmation.

1. APPLYING A BEHAVIORAL CHANGE MODEL TO
THE ADOPTION OF FREIGHT ELECTRIC VEHICLES:
LESSONS FOR EFFECTIVE INSTRUMENTS
URBE Conference
1 and 2 October 2015
Rome, Italy
1
Susanne Balm
Project leader E-mobility & City Logistics
Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences
Co-authors:
Jop Spoelstra (Technolution, Netherlands)
Hans Quak (TNO, Netherlands)

2. AMSTERDAM UNIVERSITY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
2
• Based in Amsterdam, The Netherlands
• 50,000 students and 3,600 employees
• 80 bachelor and master programmes
• Practical orientated research addressing real-life challenges
• Close collaboration with both academics and professionals
• A joint Executive Board with the University of Amsterdam

3. RESEARCH PROGRAM
URBAN TECHNOLOGY
Technologies for a sustainable, liveable and connected city
3
Smart Mobility
& Logistics
Smart Urban
Design
Smart Energy
Systems
Circular Design
and Smart
Production
Urban analytics
Business Models

4. 4
We support public and private organizations in their ambition towards zero-
emission city logistics

5. WHY?
5
Noise Vibrations
CongestionAir pollution

6. AIR POLLUTION
Share of trips
6
Contribution to NOx

7. NOISE POLLUTION: “A MODERN PLAGUE”
Elevated noise levels can cause:
• Hypertension
• Sleep disturbance
• Stress
• Increased workplace accident rates
• Aggression and other anti-social behaviors
7

8. SUPPLIERS EFFORT
Allow a trial period, to get familiair with the use
HOW TO SUPPORT THE UPTAKE OF EFV?
8
PROCUREMENT
Sustainable transport as selection criteria
JOINT COMMITMENT
• Green Deal Zero Emission City Logistics
• Projects for knowledge and implementation
POLICY
• Give exemeptions to electric
vehicles
• Prohibit use of conventional
vehicles

9. CLEANING LOGISTICS FLEET SEEMS
CRUCIAL BUT GOES SLOWLY
• Many incentive programs exists
• But, behavioral aspects of the target group are often left out of
scope
• Research on the preconditions for EFV uptake from a non-users’s
behavioural perspective is lacking
• We have taken the potential adopter as the center of our research
• Use of behavioural change model (Balm, 2000) and innovation
theory of Rogers (1961)
• First a personal example ….
9

10. 10
Who is aware of challenges that cities
face with air and noise pollution?
Who knows how the
environmental impact of
motorized traffic can be
reduced?
Who prefers to use zero
emission vehicles?
Who is able to use zero
emission vehicles, for
example to go to work?
Who uses zero emission vehicles
(on occasion)?
Who only uses zero emission vehicles?
1. Awareness
2.
Understanding
3.
Willingness
4.
Ability
5. Implementation
6. Confirmation
Based on Balm (2000)

11. RATE OF ADOPTION
The speed of adoption, depends on different determinants. And
hence, can be influenced in different ways (Rogers, 1961):
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• Perceived attributes (A-F)
• Type of innovation decision (G)
• Nature of the social system (H)
• Communication channels (I)
• Promotion (J)

12. PERCEIVED ATTRIBUTES
D. Triability
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A. Relative advantage B. Compatibility
E. Observability
F. Network effects
C. Complexibility

13. 13
G. TYPE OF INNOVATION DECISION
Individual Group Authority

14. H. NATURE OF THE SOCIAL SYSTEM
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15. I. COMMUNICATION CHANNELS
15

16. J. PROMOTION EFFORTS
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17. A. Relative
advantage
B.
Compatibility C. Complexibility D. Triability
E.
Observability
F. Network
effects
Create awareness by
making the use of EFV
visible (e.g. logo on
vehicle)
There will be more attention for
EFV when it benefits a common
goal (e.g. clean air)
Create attention with
promotion
The use of EFV should not
be too complex to understand
and to perceive the
advantages
Communicate about the pros
and cons, risks and
requirements (e.g.
disemminating pracital
oriented facts).
- Extending the range of
EFV improves its
suitability for various trips.
- Reducing purchase
and adoption costs
Fast charging infrastructure
can make more companies
able to adopt EFV
- If a group of companies jointly
decide to adopt they can benefit
from economies of scale and
share infrastructure
- Authorities can subsidies
procurement costs and facilitate
infrastructure
Use interpersonal channels
to clarify constraints/barriers
Allow for a test drive
period.
- Demand for sustainable
transport services (e.g. through
public procurement or zero-
emission delivery crtieria) fosters
adoption.
- Jointly commit to adoption
Demand for sustainable transport
services (zero-emission delivery
as criteria) fosters adoption.
Offer attractive sales
conditions for the first
vehicle.
Minimise drawbacks by
reducing the complexibility
Those who have
implemented EFV can be
used to make it visible for
others.
Authorities can impose rules that
benefit the use of EFV or restrict
conventional vehicles.
Communication is important
to ensure confirmation (e.g.
share experiences and
eliminate difficulties).
Users can use EFV to
promote their
(sustainable) business
Perceived attributes
J. Promotion
efforts
I. Communi-
cation Channels
H. Nature of the
social system
G. Type of
innovation-decision
2. Understanding
1. Awareness
Introduce trial
possibilities.
EFV is more easily
adopted when it matches
with the corporate values
(e.g. sustainability)
Further improve
functional attributes,
symbolic value, and
environmental
performance
Determinants for the rate of adoption
6. Confirmation
5. Implementation
4. Ability
Behavioral phase
of potential
adopter ↓
a. Intrinsic
b. Extrinsic
3. Willingness
The view of opinion leaders (in
relevant networks) can
influence/change attitudes
It benefits the adoption if the
use of EFV is
complementary to other
goods and services (e.g.
electric cooling)
Social norms can create
willingness, for example when it
is no longer accepted that
companies pollute the
environment
Authorities can impose rules that
benefit the use of EFV or restrict
conventional vehicles
BEHAVIORAL
PHASE
DETERMINANTS FOR THE RATE OF ADOPTION

18. USE OF THE FRAMEWORK
• Assist suppliers, policy makers, experts and opinion
leaders in their ambition to increase the uptake of
EFV
• Show how efforts and target groups should be
managed to increase the effectiveness of
governmental, commercial and research spending
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19. A. Relative
advantage
B.
Compatibility C. Complexity D. Triability E. Observability F. Network effects
Create awareness by
making the use of EFV
visible (e.g. logo on
vehicle)
There will be more attention
for EFVwhen it benefits a
common goal (e.g. clean air)
Create attention with
promotion
The use of EFVshould
not be too complex to
understand and to
perceive the advantages
Communicate about the
pros and cons, risks and
requirements (e.g.
disemminating pracital
oriented facts).
- Extending the range of
EFVimproves its
suitabilityfor various
trips.
- Reducing purchase
and adoption costs
Fast charging
infrastructure can make
more companies able to
adopt EFV
- If a group of companies jointly
decide to adopt theycan benefit
from economies of scale and
share infrastructure
- Authorities can subsidies
procurement costs and facilitate
infrastructure
Use interpersonal channels
to clarify
constraints/barriers
Allow for a test drive
period.
Demand for sustainable transport
services (e.g. through green
deliverycrtieria) fosters EFV
adoption
Offer attractive sales
conditions for the first
vehicle
Honor drivers. Make
sure theyare satisfied to
drive EFV.
Minimise drawbacks by
reducing the complexity
- Demand for sustainable
transport services
- Authorities can impose rules that
benefit the use of EFVor restrict
conventional vehicles
Communication is
important to ensure
confirmation (e.g. share
experiences and eliminate
difficulties)
Users can use EFVto
promote their (sustainable)
business
Perceived attributes
J. Promotion
efforts
I. Communication
Channels
H. Nature of the
social system
G. Type of innovation-
decision
2. Understanding
1. Awareness
Introduce trial
possibilities.
EFVis more easily
adopted when it
matches with the
corporate values (e.g.
sustainability)
Further improve
functional attributes,
symbolic value, and
environmental
performance
Determinants for the rate of adoption
6. Confirmation
5. Implementation
4. Ability
Behavioral phase
of potential
adopter ↓
a. Intrinsic
b. Extrinsic
3. Willingness
The view of opinion leaders
(in relevant networks) can
influence/change attitudes
It benefits the adoption if
the use of EFVis
complementaryto other
goods and services (e.g.
electric cooling)
Social norms can create
willingness, for example
when it is no longer accepted
that companies pollute the
environment
Authorities can impose rules that
benefit the use of EFVor restrict
conventional vehicles
EXAMPLES
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20. CONCLUDING REMARKS
• National and EU research and demonstration projects contribute to the
awareness and understanding phase
• Development and dissemination of knowledge and experiences
• Enable observability and triability
• Purchase funding enables preliminary implementation
• “Real-world” ability and willingness should receive special attention in
these projects
• Organization that have embedded sustainable transport in their
business values show succesful adption and confirmation
• The influence of the social system is still limited
• outspoken preference for sustainable transport among public authorities and in B2B and B2C
market is needed for confirmation
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