Reframing Public Perceptions: A Student’s Research on EV Consumers

Science fiction has come to life as adoption of electric vehicles — not to mention the technology that supports them — progresses.In fact, Utah has seen EVs make up 10% of vehicle sales consistently for several years according to the Utah Tax Commission’s new vehicle sales reports. All of this points to why Bridger Porter, the Huntsman School of Business Undergraduate Researcher of the Year at Utah State University, is looking at consumer perceptions. 

“It’s really just understanding why people would purchase an EV, what sort of incentives would lead them there, what sort of incentives would kind of turn them off to the idea of an EV as well. It touches on different aspects across a wide variety,” Porter said. 

Porter’s research highlights the role that the media plays in EV adoption. Knowing how EV content is perceived by consumers is valuable in reframing and expanding people’s knowledge about electric vehicles. 

“My research touches on all areas, whether it be positive impacts or negative downsides that people may see.” Porter explained. “The first project that I worked on was understanding different media frames and how they influence consumer adoption of electric vehicles.”  

Porter believes that the outlook on EV adoption and consumer perception is still young and will expand beyond the current knowledge and innovations available now. 

“There’s aspirations and goals and such but ultimately, I think that the future holds in store a lot of opportunity. There are a lot of opportunities for growth and for understanding more about EVs and the electrification process as it’s still in a relatively early phase of development,” Porter added. “Compare it to looking at the first time a car was made, a long time ago. EVs are newer and so it’s going to be interesting to see how that plays out in the grand scheme of electrification.” 

Porter’s curiosity and work ethic caught the attention of others, like ASPIRE’s USU Campus Director Antje Graul. The Associate Professor of Marketing described Porter as a “self-starter” and emphasized his contribution to the research and what set him apart when being nominated for Undergraduate Researcher of the Year.  

“What really stood out for me when it comes to Bridger was the level of leadership, attention to detail, and intellectual curiosity that he brought to the table,” Graul said. “At the huntsman school of business, we are really excited about experiential learning and giving our students an experience where they can put what they’ve learned into practice and use that skill set and apply it and go out in the world and talk to stakeholders and talk to companies. He could do any of that.” 

The research aligns with ASPIRE’s goals for the adoption of electric vehicles and transport systems and contributes to developing ways to inform the public of the innovations and technology being created. 

“It’s important for engineers to understand that their product that they’re creating is going to be accepted by the general public,” Porter explained. “If there’s certain things that they need to engineer or develop or create to be able to inform them further, I think is extremely important to ASPIRE’s overall mission.” 

Through his research with ASPIRE Porter has gained an appreciation for the real-world application of EV technology and how the industry continues to grow. 

“It’s all being implemented on a day-to-day basis.” Porter said. “It’s been really interesting to me to be at the forefront to understand more about EVs and understand why people would gravitate towards them, what might not be important to them, and really see things form a consumer-to-consumer basis.” 

The research authored by Porter, Graul, and others titled “Whether, When and How Media Frames Influence The Adoption of Electric Vehicles” was presented at ASPIRE’s 2025 Annual Meeting Technology Showcase as part of the Integrated Systems project.  

Porter became engaged with the range of research perspectives presented at the meeting. He noted the impact of contributing to a broader initiative surrounding the goals of ASPIRE. 

“I was happy to present how my small sliver was contributing to an overall, really big and really grand understanding and student involvement within ASPIRE,” Porter said. 

For the latest news, publications, and research highlights from ASPIRE, visit aspire.usu.edu. 

About ASPIRE: 

ASPIRE, a National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center headquartered at Utah State University, leads groundbreaking research and development to accelerate electrification. With over 400 global collaborators, ASPIRE focuses on creating seamless, affordable electrified transportation systems, accessible for all vehicle classes, along with the public infrastructure needed to support them. By reducing emissions, improving air quality, and fostering economic growth through job creation and workforce training, ASPIRE’s work spans engineering, social science, policy, and business. Partnering with top universities, industry leaders, and community groups, ASPIRE is driving the future of advanced transportation. Learn more at aspire.usu.edu. 

Contacts: 

Kat Webb
Content Director
Marketing & Communications 
ASPIRE ERC  

Writer: 

Lucy Larson
Communications Specialist 
ASPIRE ERC

Photos & Video: 

J.T. Miller
Multimedia Specialist
ASPIRE ERC

Noah Stewart
Social Media Specialist
ASPIRE ERC