The Role of Social Media Influencers in Electric Vehicle Adoption in the UAE

Abstract

Despite growing infrastructure and strong governmental support, electric vehicle (EV) adoption in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains low. While economic and technical factors have been widely explored, the impact of social, behavioural, and perceptual influences, especially those imposed by social media influencers, remain inadequately addressed. This study investigates how influencers, trust in influencers, and perceived source credibility affect the consumer intention to adopt EVs in the UAE. A conceptual model was developed and tested based on Social Learning Theory (SLT), Trust Transfer Theory (TTT), and Source Credibility Theory (SCT) utilising Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) with SmartPLS 4. Data were collected via an online survey of 205 UAE residents. The findings indicate that social media influencers exert a direct positive influence on the intention to adopt electric vehicles (β = 0.244, p < 0.01), with confidence in influencers serving as a major mediator of this relationship (β = 0.401, p < 0.001). However, source credibility does not significantly moderate the effect of trust on the adoption intention (β = 0.029, p = 0.634). The model exhibited moderate predictive accuracy (R² = 0.506, Q² = 0.419) and robust internal reliability. This research enhances understanding of social influence on sustainable consumption both theoretically and practically, providing evidence-based recommendations for marketing strategies and public policies to promote EV adoption in the UAE.