Consumers' intention to purchase environmentally friendly automobiles and the moderating effect of green knowledge

In recent years, consumer interest in environmentally friendly vehicles has been steadily increasing in Turkey. According to the 2024 data from the Automotive Distributors and Mobility Association, there has been a 51.7% increase in the sales of fully electric vehicles in Turkey. However, the factors shaping consumers' growing interest in purchasing environmentally friendly vehicles, particularly regarding their environmental values, environmental attitudes, and the level of environmental awareness, have not been sufficiently explored. Therefore, the aim of this study is to examine whether consumers' intentions to purchase environmentally friendly vehicles are influenced by their environmental values and pro-environmental attitudes, and whether their level of green knowledge has a moderating effect. To test the cause-and-effect relationships among these variables, data from 408 participants, selected through a convenience sampling method from the population of consumers aged 18 and older in Bilecik, were used for simple linear regression statistical analysis. The results obtained indicate that environmental values, pro-environmental attitudes, and green knowledge have a significant impact on the intention to purchase environmentally friendly vehicles; thus, it has been revealed that the preference for environmentally friendly vehicles is closely related to individuals' environmental values and attitudes.