Publications
Publications
- February 2019 (Revised May 2021)
- HBS Case Collection
Electric Car Wars, 2018
By: John R. Wells and Benjamin Weinstock
Abstract
Electric cars had long been championed by environmentalists as a superior solution to the internal combustion engine (ICE), but, despite large government incentives and strong pioneering efforts by a few automakers over the years, electric and hybrid cars and light trucks still accounted for less than 1% of total global production in 2016. However, events took a turn in 2017 and 2018, when many governments committed to banning ICE vehicles. In response, leading automakers announced plans to launch hundreds of electric vehicle models within five years. Early pioneer Tesla, which, in 2017, had built a stock market valuation exceeding that of General Motors (GM), despite only delivering 103,000 cars compared to GM’s 9 million, looked as if it were about to be engulfed by this new competition. But not all were convinced that electric cars would soon displace conventional ICE vehicles. It was not clear that the infrastructure was in place to charge all these electric vehicles. There were also questions concerning the electrical generating capacity to meet the new demand. Would battery prices fall enough to make mass-market demand a possibility? In low gasoline cost jurisdictions, such as the United States, the economics of owning an electric vehicle didn’t appear justified, unless subsidies were maintained indefinitely. In Europe, where gasoline taxes were high, the case for electric vehicles was stronger. But European governments depended on those taxes to meet their budget needs. Would a significant uptake of electric vehicles necessitate higher taxes on electricity? In 2018, electric cars were an expensive novelty for the rich subsidized by the poor. Would the sudden rush of new models change the balance?
Keywords
Electric Vehicle; Electric Vehicles; Electricity; Electric Motors; Electric Power Generation; Electricity Usage; Electricity Distribution; Internal Combustion Vehicle; Auto Manufacturing; Automobile Manufacturing; Automotive Industry; Tesla; General Motors; History; Nissan; Innovation; Batteries; Battery; Subsidies; Government Initiatives; Government Incentives; Political Issues; Energy Generation; Production; Infrastructure; Innovation and Invention; Government Legislation; Global Range; Business History; Auto Industry; China
Citation
Wells, John R., and Benjamin Weinstock. "Electric Car Wars, 2018." Harvard Business School Case 719-470, February 2019. (Revised May 2021.)