Determinants of SMEs’ willingness to pay for electric vehicle logistics

Small and medium enterprises face logistic challenges that can impede their transition to sustainable practices. One of these challenges is the successful adoption of electric vehicles in their supply chains. Our study investigated factors influencing the willingness to pay for electric vehicle logistics services among small and medium enterprises in Latin American countries. A survey was administered to 302 SMEs from Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, spanning sectors like retail, tourism, and manufacturing. Ordered logistic regression analysis identified social trust, perceived risks, and prevailing attitudes as significant predictors of willingness to pay. Despite recognizing the overarching environmental and social benefits of electric vehicles, most small and medium enterprises exhibited reluctance to incur additional expenses for electric vehicle transport. The findings highlight the need for strategies to build trust, mitigate perceived risks, and encourage positive attitudes to spur greater adoption of sustainable transportation options.