Fosterage and Sustenance of Electric Vehicles: A Comparative Study of India and Norway

Abstract

The transportation sector across the globe has witnessed massive changes from the conventional “ICE
(Internal Combustion Engine)” vehicles to battery driven electric vehicles (EVs) in the last two decades.
While sustainability is the need of the hour and there exists a plethora of research analysing sustainable fuel
alternatives and EVs, one cannot disregard the colossal influence of consumer behaviour and
responsiveness towards this growing trend. Its adoption, however, has been challenged by the dilemma that
as long as the number of charging stations is insufficient, manufacturers will not be incentivised to enter the
EV market. Subsequently, a low number of EVs will fail to stimulate sufficient demand for charging
stations, resulting in a 'chicken or the egg' quandary. In the case of India, the shift to EVs has been gradual as
opposed to Norway, which has seen much rapid response and infrastructure readiness. By delving into
questions surrounding technological factors and the legal-political schemes that impact prospective owners'
choices towards EVs, the research carried out will help ascertain the factors responsible for the growth of EV
market in two distinct economies. This paper presents a comprehensive review of literature based on
consumer preferences for EVs aiming to better inform policy-makers as well as give direction to further
research. An attempt is also made to analyse Norway's success story from the Indian standpoint and delve
deeper into the interrogation to better understand what factors influence consumer preferences in the Indian
market.