Electric Vehicle Adoption in Urban Transport: Barriers, Drivers, and Integration Implications in Arusha City, Tanzania

Electric vehicles (EVs) are increasingly recognized as a strategy to reduce environmental impacts in urban transport. This study, conducted in 2024 in Arusha City, Tanzania, examines factors influencing EV adoption, focusing on charging infrastructure, financial constraints, and socio-economic considerations. A mixed-methods design was applied, incorporating 32 EV users, 32 internal combustion engine vehicle users, and representatives from key institutions, selected through stratified random sampling. Data were collected through structured questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, and documentary reviews. Analysis included descriptive statistics and corrected principal component analysis on standardized continuous variables, which identified charging infrastructure and financial constraints as the primary factors influencing adoption, together explaining 63% of variance. Respondents reported high satisfaction with private and workplace charging but noted limited public stations, with only two publicly accessible points in the city. Financial barriers were pronounced, as 42% of participants cited high purchase costs as a deterrent, particularly affecting lower-income groups. Despite these constraints, interest in EV adoption was strong among higher-income respondents and tourism operators. The findings provide evidence-based insights into the practical challenges and opportunities for EV integration, supporting policy development, infrastructure planning, and targeted incentives to promote sustainable mobility in similar urban contexts. Limitations include the cross-sectional design and focus on tourism-sector users, which may influence generalizability.