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  • December 2012 (Revised November 2014)
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Lit Motors

By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Alex Godden
  • Format:Print
  • | Language:English
  • | Pages:25
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Abstract

In mid-2012 Lit Motors had created both engineering and design prototypes and conducted initial customer tests on less than $750,000 of investment. Lit Motors' founder, Daniel Kim, had started the company to design and manufacture an efficient electric 2-wheeled vehicle. The company had refined the designs for the key technologies required and had a working prototype, an understanding of the manufacturing processes to be used and a list of the components required. They also had a design prototype that they had used to conduct customer tests and establish reactions to pricing levels. At this point, management was aiming to raise $15M to get closer to manufacturing prototypes, but had they sufficiently proved out both the manufacturing feasibility and the market demand? How could they address the next hurdles in terms of partnership building, supply chain management and go-to-market strategy?

Keywords

Lean Startup; Prototyping; Electric Vehicle; Urban Vehicle; Customer Tests; Gyroscope; Entrepreneurs; Development Stage Enterprises; Creativity; Disruptive Technologies; Consumer Surveys; Market Segmentation; Manufacturing Costs; Entrepreneurship; Auto Industry; United States; California

Citation

Eisenmann, Thomas R., and Alex Godden. "Lit Motors." Harvard Business School Case 813-079, December 2012. (Revised November 2014.)
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About The Author

Thomas R. Eisenmann

Entrepreneurial Management
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Related Work

    • June 2014
    • Faculty Research

    Lit Motors

    By: Thomas Eisenmann
    • December 2012 (Revised November 2014)
    • Faculty Research

    Lit Motors

    By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Alex Godden
Related Work
  • Lit Motors By: Thomas Eisenmann
  • Lit Motors By: Thomas R. Eisenmann and Alex Godden
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