Broader adoption of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) and reductions in household car ownership are key to meeting climate goals. Yet, BEV market shares remain low in most countries, and car sharing systems tend to appeal to a limited demographic. In this research we examine a novel ownership option that allows households more flexibility in car ownership: short-term vehicle subscriptions that provide users with exclusive access to a vehicle for 6–12 months and incorporate soft costs such as insurance and maintenance. We investigate whether subscriptions can appeal to distinct segments of the population and whether preferences for subscriptions compared to purchases differ between fuel types. Among other factors, we consider the role of drivers’ self-identity as technology enthusiasts and environmentalists. Data are collected through a discrete choice experiment with 1,567 individuals in three US states. An integrated latent class and latent variable choice model indicates the presence of three distinct classes: one motivated by preference for ownership, one motivated by a combination of enthusiasm for new technology and care for the environment, and one motivated by cost concerns. While the subscription option is never appealing to the ownership-oriented class, we find a preference for subscribing to a BEV rather than purchasing it among the class that is both technology-oriented and environmentally conscious. Furthermore, while the cost-oriented class would be averse to subscribing to a conventional vehicle, it is not averse to a BEV or hybrid vehicle subscription. This suggests that subscription models could allow consumers who are unwilling to commit to purchasing a BEV to gather experience with one.

更广泛地采用纯电动汽车 (BEV) 和减少家庭汽车保有量是实现气候目标的关键。然而，BEV 市场份额在大多数国家/地区仍然很低，汽车共享系统往往吸引有限的人群。在这项研究中，我们研究了一种新的所有权选择，它允许家庭在拥有汽车方面具有更大的灵活性：短期车辆订阅，为用户提供 6-12 个月的车辆独家使用权，并包含保险和维护等软成本。我们调查订阅是否可以吸引不同的人群，以及与购买相比订阅的偏好是否因燃料类型而异。在其他因素中，我们考虑了驾驶员作为技术爱好者和环保主义者的自我认同的作用。数据是通过对美国三个州的 1,567 人进行的离散选择实验收集的。集成的潜在类别和潜在变量选择模型表明存在三种不同的类别：一种是出于对所有权的偏好，一种是出于对新技术的热情和对环境的关注，另一种是出于成本考虑。虽然订阅选项永远不会吸引以所有权为导向的阶层，但我们发现，在既注重技术又注重环保的阶层中，人们更倾向于订阅 BEV，而不是购买 BEV。此外，虽然以成本为导向的类别会反对订阅传统车辆，但并不反对订阅 BEV 或混合动力车辆。