Industry overview
What is shaping automotive
The automotive market spans cars, two-wheelers, commercial vehicles and a fast-growing EV segment. Buyers research online but still decide at the dealership, and mechanics shape the aftermarket.
- EV adoption is moving from early adopters to the mainstream
- Online research shapes the shortlist before the showroom visit
- Independent mechanics drive aftermarket brand choices
Client background
An EV charging network operator in East Asia, working in Taipei, Taichung & Hong Kong. Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.
- Organisation
- An EV charging network operator in East Asia
- Sector
- Automotive
- Team engaged
- Market Research
- Services
- Research consultancy, Quantitative research, Data analytics & dashboards
Client challenge
The operator had limited capital for new chargers and needed to know where EV owners would actually use them.
Research objectives
- Deliver on the brief: choosing where to place public EV chargers.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of EV owners.
- Understand the views, needs and behaviour of candidate locations.
- Produce results that can be compared across groups and locations.
- Give the client evidence it can act on within 7 weeks.
Target audience
The work focused on 900 EV owners and 150 candidate locations.
- EV owners900
- candidate locations150
Audiences we typically reach in automotive
Car and two-wheeler buyersVehicle ownersDealers and sales staffMechanics and workshopsFleet operators
Geographic coverage
Coverage: Taipei, Taichung & Hong Kong. Markets: Taiwan and Hong Kong.
- Taiwan
- Hong Kong
Research methodology
A structured quantitative design, so results could be compared across groups, locations and time.
- 1Brief
- 2EV owner survey
- 3Location analysis
- 4Insight
We surveyed EV owners about travel patterns, charging habits and preferred locations, and combined the results with traffic and amenity data to score candidate sites.
Research consultancyQuantitative researchData analytics & dashboards
Sampling strategy
- EV owners
- 900
- candidate locations
- 150
- Business respondents were screened on role, company size and involvement in the decision before being invited.
- Telephone contacts were dialled from verified lists, with quotas tracked live by the field team.
Data collection
- Telephone interviews were run from our CATI centre, with calls monitored for quality.
Data quality & validation
- Live call monitoring and recording review
- Call-back verification
- Logic and range checks on the final data
- Work carried out under our ISO 20252 quality procedures
Data analysis
- Cross-tabulation by key groups and locations
- Significance testing on the differences that mattered
- Interactive dashboard for ongoing tracking
Key findings
- Owners preferred chargers at places where they already spent 30–60 minutes, such as malls and restaurants, over standalone sites.
Charging fits into existing routines rather than creating new trips.
Recommendations
- Build on the core insight: charging fits into existing routines rather than creating new trips.
- Focus effort where the evidence was strongest: owners preferred chargers at places where they already spent 30–60 minutes, such as malls and restaurants, over standalone sites.
- Re-measure after the changes to confirm the effect.
Business impact
- The operator prioritised partnerships with retail locations.
What changed in the business as a result of the work. Impact is described qualitatively.
Deliverables & next steps
- Insight report and management presentation
- Cleaned data file and data tables
- Interactive dashboard
- Repeat the measure after changes are in place to track progress.
- A natural follow-on question: how do buyers build their shortlist?
Client identity is withheld to protect confidentiality.