Author(s)

Jin Xia

Corresponding Author

Jin Xia

Abstract

Amid the global carbon neutrality wave, the automotive industry is mired in an environmental trust crisis, grappling with the triple pressures of rampant “greenwashing” scandals, tightening regulations, and growing consumer skepticism. This study innovatively integrates signaling theory with the customer-based brand equity (CBBE) model, adopting a mixed-methods research approach that combines a multidimensional survey of 500 vehicle owners across diverse regions, age groups, and consumption preferences with 8 in-depth focus group interviews. Key findings reveal that blockchain-verified carbon footprint information enhances consumer green trust,with the strongest impact on brand associations (β=0.51), while technological ease-of-use and environmental consciousness significantly moderate the effect pathways. The research provides strategic anchors for automakers to resolve the “compliance-cost-brand value” trilemma, while uncovering novel insights such as younger demographics’ “moderate technological complexity preference,” charting directions for the industry’s green transformation and brand value reinvention.

Keywords

Blockchain, Carbon Footprint Transparency, Green Trust, Brand Equity, Automotive Industry