The findings matter as Indonesia continues to develop electric mobility while consumers remain cautious about switching from conventional motorcycles. The study shows that simply spending more time on social media is not enough to generate stronger purchase interest. What matters more is whether consumers actively engage with the information presented by influencers.
Electric Motorcycles Face a Consumer-Confidence Challenge
Electric motorcycles are increasingly promoted as a more efficient and environmentally friendly transportation option. Traffic congestion, energy costs, and concerns about vehicle emissions have contributed to growing interest in electric vehicles. However, electric motorcycles remain an emerging technology in Indonesia, requiring consumers to understand issues such as battery performance, driving range, charging facilities, operating costs, and after-sales services.
Social media has become an important channel for consumers seeking this information. Platforms including Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, and WhatsApp allow companies and influencers to explain products, demonstrate their use, and share user experiences.
The study notes that Indonesia had internet penetration of 79.5 percent in 2025, with more than 181 million people using social media regularly. At the same time, the researchers cite national data showing that electric two-wheeler sales fell from 77,078 units in 2024 to 55,059 units in 2025. Concerns over subsidy policies, price, battery life, range, charging infrastructure, and after-sales service remain important considerations for consumers.
How the Researchers Studied Consumer Interest
Firmansyah and Septiarini used a quantitative survey involving 162 respondents in Bandung. Participants were at least 17 years old, held a Class C driving license, were interested in purchasing an electric motorcycle, and had previously seen influencer content about electric motorcycles on social media. Data were collected through an online questionnaire using Google Forms.
The questionnaire asked respondents to assess statements using a five-point scale. The researchers then used statistical regression analysis to determine relationships among influencer marketing, social media engagement, social media usage, and purchase intention. They also used a Sobel test to determine whether social media engagement and social media usage functioned as intermediary factors.
Influencers Have a Strong Direct Effect
The results show a clear relationship between influencer marketing and consumers' intention to purchase electric motorcycles.
The researchers found that influencer marketing explained 47.7 percent of the variation in purchase intention in the simple regression analysis. The relationship was statistically significant, with a regression coefficient of 0.690 and a significance value below 0.001.
Social media engagement showed an even stronger relationship. It explained 50 percent of the variation in purchase intention, with a coefficient of 0.707 and a significance value below 0.001.
Social media usage also showed a positive relationship when examined on its own. It explained 15.9 percent of the variation in purchase intention, with a coefficient of 0.398 and a significance value below 0.001.
However, the results changed when the variables were examined together.
Engagement Matters More Than Frequency
The most important finding concerns the difference between social media engagement and social media usage.
Social media engagement refers to how consumers cognitively, emotionally, and behaviorally respond to content—for example, paying attention, becoming interested, liking, commenting, or sharing. Social media usage, by contrast, primarily measures how frequently and intensively consumers use social media to search for information and interact with content.
The Sobel test found that social media engagement significantly mediated the relationship between influencer marketing and purchase intention. The test produced a t-statistic of 5.614, with significance below 0.05. The researchers classified the relationship as partial mediation because influencer marketing continued to have a direct effect on purchase intention.
Social media usage produced a different result. Its mediation effect was not statistically significant, with a t-statistic of -1.042 and a significance value of 0.298. The researchers therefore rejected the hypothesis that social media usage significantly mediates the influence of influencer marketing on purchase intention.
In their interpretation, Firmansyah and Septiarini of Jenderal Achmad Yani University emphasize that not every form of social media activity has the same influence. Their findings indicate that the quality of consumer engagement is more relevant to purchase intention than simply how frequently people use social media.
Implications for Electric Motorcycle Businesses
The findings offer a practical lesson for electric motorcycle manufacturers and marketers: influencer campaigns should focus on credible, relevant, and educational content, rather than simply maximizing exposure.
The researchers recommend selecting influencers who understand the products and can communicate information in a way that builds consumer trust. Marketing campaigns should also encourage comments, discussions, content sharing, and other forms of audience participation.
For policymakers, the study suggests that social media can also become a channel for public education about electric vehicles. Collaboration between government and industry could use digital platforms to explain the benefits and practical considerations of electric motorcycles, potentially supporting wider public acceptance.
The findings do not mean that every influencer campaign will automatically translate into sales. Rather, they indicate that influencer marketing is more likely to strengthen purchase interest when it generates meaningful consumer engagement.
Author Profiles
Fery Firmansyah — Jenderal Achmad Yani University, Cimahi, Indonesia. The article does not state his academic degree. His research in this article focuses on influencer marketing, social media, consumer behavior, purchase intention, and electric motorcycles.
Eka Septiarini — Jenderal Achmad Yani University, Cimahi, Indonesia, and the corresponding author. The article does not state her academic degree. Her research in this article focuses on digital marketing, social media engagement, consumer behavior, and electric motorcycle purchase intention.
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