Dissertation Title Sustainability and Motorsport: An Examination of Formula E. Author Webster, Robert Neil URL http://clok.uclan.ac.uk/14948/ Date 2016 Citation Webster, Robert Neil (2016) Sustainability and Motorsport: An Examination of Formula E. [Dissertation] This document is made available to authorised users, that is current staff and students of the University of Central Lancashire only, to support teaching and learning at that institution under a https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/3.0/ licence. It may be shared with other authorised users in electronically or printed out and shared in that format. This cover sheet must be included with the whole document or with any parts shared. This document should not be published or disseminated via the internet, or in an analogue format beyond the network or community of the University of Central Lancashire. So, you may post it on the intranet or on the Blackboard VLE, but not on the openly accessible web pages. You may print it, or parts of it, and you may hand it to a class or individual as long as they are staff or students of the University of Central Lancashire. This does not affect any use under the current Copyright Law and permission may be asked via [email protected] for uses otherwise prescribed. Sustainability and Motorsport: An Examination of Formula E. Robert Webster NT3008 Dissertation BA (Hons) Geography 2016 I declare that the main text of this dissertation is no more than 10919 words, and is all my own work. Signed:……………………………….. i I would like to acknowledge and thank the following people for their assistance in producing this dissertation: Christopher Lowe Hannah Neate Mark Toogood Richard Randle Simon Bonser ii Abstract The FIA Formula E Championship started in 2014 and is the world’s first fully electric international motor racing series. This study used a quantitative and qualitative survey, distributed at Oulton Park, Donington Park and through relevant social media outlets, to assess what type of supporter Formula E (FE) attracts, whether they think FE can implement their sustainability and Electric Vehicle (EV) expansion aims, and assessing whether external factors influence attitudes towards FE and its sustainability. This study demonstrates that most of the sample FE supporters engage with other motorsport disciplines and cannot be treated as an isolated group. The study found that independent variables such as respondent age, nationality, level of sustainability concern and intensity of FE support can impact the sample population attitudes towards EVs, FE and sustainability. Despite an overall positive and optimistic attitude, a large proportion of the sample population was not convinced by FE’s sustainability and EV expansion aims, often citing underdeveloped technology, high EV purchase prices and charging infrastructure issues as reasons. However, the majority of the sample population did agree that if FE could develop EV technology their opinions towards EVs would improve. These findings imply that FE has the potential to increase EV development and market expansion by improving the technical aspects and public image associated with EVs. iii Table of Contents 1. Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Background information ..................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Rationale ..................................................................................................................................... 1 1.3 Research aims .......................................................................................................................... 3 1.4 Dissertation layout ................................................................................................................. 4 2. Literature review ........................................................................................................... 5 2.1 Formula E’s sustainability aims ........................................................................................ 5 2.2 Definition of sustainability ................................................................................................. 6 2.3 Methods of implementing sustainability initiatives ................................................ 8 2.4 Public attitudes towards sustainability ..................................................................... 11 2.5 Motorsport sustainability and gaps in the research ............................................. 13 3. Methodology ................................................................................................................. 15 3.1 Survey question design ..................................................................................................... 15 3.1.1 Pilot survey 1 ................................................................................................................ 15 3.1.2 Pilot survey 2 ................................................................................................................ 18 3.1.3 Final survey ................................................................................................................... 18 3.2 Data collection/sampling ................................................................................................. 18 3.2.1 Pilot survey 1 ................................................................................................................ 18 3.2.2 Pilot survey 2 ................................................................................................................ 18 3.2.3 Final survey ................................................................................................................... 19 3.3 Survey analysis method .................................................................................................... 19 4. Results ............................................................................................................................. 21 4.1 Basic quantitative results ................................................................................................. 21 4.2 Basic qualitative results .................................................................................................... 28 5. Analysis ........................................................................................................................... 33 5.1 Simplified quantitative categories ................................................................................ 33 5.2 Simplified cross examined questions .......................................................................... 34 5.3 Chi-Square test for association results ....................................................................... 50 5.3.1 Age Chi-Square test for association results ..................................................... 50 5.3.2 Nationality Chi-Square test for association results ...................................... 51 5.3.3 Sustainability Chi-square test for association results ................................. 52 5.3.4 Intensity of FE support Chi-square test for association results .............. 53 6. Discussion ...................................................................................................................... 55 6.1 What do motorsport supporters think of FE and what type of supporter is attracted? ........................................................................................................................................ 55 6.2 What impact could FE have on the wider commercial vehicle market? ...... 56 iv 6.3 Do external factors influence the population’s opinions of FE, their sustainability aims and EVs in general? ............................................................................ 60 7. Conclusion ..................................................................................................................... 63 7.1 study conclusions ................................................................................................................ 63 7.2 Study limitations and future studies ........................................................................... 64 References: ........................................................................................................................ 65 Appendix 1 ......................................................................................................................... 70 Appendix 2 ......................................................................................................................... 73 Appendix 3 ......................................................................................................................... 77 Appendix 4 ......................................................................................................................... 81 Appendix 5 ......................................................................................................................... 88 Appendix 6 ....................................................................................................................... 102 v Table of Figures Figure 1: The population gender results................................................................................ 21 Figure 2: The population age results. ...................................................................................... 21 Figure 3: The population nationality results. ......................................................................