Mapping the Research Landscape of Electric Vehicle and Consumer Perspective: Insights from a Bibliometric Analysis

Abstract

This study uses bibliometric analysis to evaluate the academic literature examining consumer behaviors towards the purchase intention of electric vehicles (EVs). The dataset used a multidimensional keyword combination from the Web of Science (WoS) Core Collection database covering 2015–2025. R-based Biblioshiny (Bibliometrix) and VOSviewer software were used to analyse 936 publications. The findings show that the literature has grown by 14.25% annually, the average number of citations of publications is 32.68, and the studies in this field are at a high level regarding timeliness and impact. Keyword analyses have shown that the literature is thematically concentrated around consumer-based concepts such as “adoption”, “attitudes”, “consumer preferences”, and “willingness-to-pay”. According to bibliographic coupling analysis, China, India, and the USA are among the most productive countries in this field, and China has a central position in the literature. Wang S., Axsen J. and Zhao D. stand out among the most influential authors. In the WoS classifications, environmental and transportation-focused categories such as “Transportation”, “Environmental Studies”, and “Green Sustainable Science and Technology” were determined as dominant themes. As a result, purchasing behavior towards electric vehicles is addressed through a multidisciplinary approach; it is a research field where psychological, environmental, and economic factors are particularly prominent. This study maps the current structure of the field and provides a comprehensive basis that can guide future research.