Acceptance of Emission-Free Driving in Germany, the USA, China and Japan—An Explorative YouTube Study

More than 100 years ago, the vehicle with an internal combustion engine has been the winner of an intense (drivetrain) contest outpacing the horse-drawn carriage, the steam and especially the electric vehicle. The technical development of the starter and the rapid build-up and expansion of fuelling stations in combination with the low-cost Ford mass manufacturing system pave the way for mass motorization with fossil fuels in the 20^th century. At the beginning of the 21^st century a sustainable mobility solution is then considered to be successful when it achieves the acceptance of the public and (potential) customers and it can be commercialised through a sustainably value-creating business model. Studies measuring buying intentions with regards to all-electric vehicles exist in high numbers, but studies with regards to hydrogen engine vehicles do not yet exist. This is the first study measuring public and customer acceptance of the three most relevant (pollutant) emission-free driving technologies by social media data. The competition of emission-free vehicles offers new business opportunities for traditional and emerging OEMs. These bring many advantages to the (potential) customers of individual and sustainable mobility and the public in general. Indeed, it is a big green new deal for the global automotive industry.