Zoom and Accelerate: A Multi-Layered Analysis of Corporate Fleet’s Adoption and Acceptance to Electric Vehicles

Sammanfattning

The purpose of this thesis was to explore how hedonic-utilitarian motivations influence organizationaldecision-making processes and stakeholder dynamics in adoption and acceptance of electric vehicles(EV) in the context of corporate fleets. Furthermore, this thesis also examined how the automotiveindustry as a mediator navigated the macrolevel pressure of decarbonization while balancing themicrolevel needs of individual end-users, addressing the broader challenges of fleet electrificationadoption and acceptance in the society. The thesis used an exploratory qualitative case studyapproach, with data collected through semi-structured interviews with various fleet stakeholders,including Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) representatives and end-driver employeesprimarily in the Northern and Western European markets.The findings shared a multi-layered motivational framework to EV adoption based on each fleetstakeholder’s perspectives, as well as providing a multi-level dynamic framework that mapped thetensions between each stakeholder in the fleet business process. This thesis contributed theoreticallyto the research of hedonic-utilitarian consumption, specifically within the realm of fleet and thebroader automotive industry. It also addressed the emergence of the ‘user-chooser’ scheme thatdisrupted traditional fleet decision-making structures. Practically, the thesis offered insights for OEMsand its corporate clients in navigating the ‘pressure sandwich’ created by individual end-drivers in themicrolevel unit and policy or legislation makers in the macrolevel unit.