Economist The electric-fuel-trade acid test

[vfx]

The electrification of motoring: The electric-fuel-trade acid test | The Economist


Great read.

IN 1995 Joseph Bower and Clayton Christensen, two researchers at the Harvard Business School, invented a new term: “disruptive technology”. This is an innovation that fulfils the requirements of some, but not most, consumers better than the incumbent does. That gives it a toehold, which allows room for improvement and, eventually, dominance.

The first digital cameras were coming on sale. These were more expensive than film cameras and had lower resolution. But they brought two advantages. A user could look at a picture immediately after he had taken it. And he could download it onto his computer and send it to his friends.


Fourteen years on, you would struggle to buy a new camera that uses film.

Then they say, switch cameras to cars....

 

[mt2]

I wouldn't call it a great read, but it certainly is a good one. The (uncredited) author seems to have a good grasp of disruptive technology and articulates it well. Makes a strong case.

But his Tesla facts are a mixed bag. His comments indicating Elon Musk is solely responsible for the Tesla Roadster caused me to sigh and shake my head - but could be attributed to not wanting to dilute the article with the unrelated soap opera. He completely misses the battery count of 6831 - which would have driven his point home if he had gotten it right. On the other hand, he correctly states that Daimler has a 6% investment in Tesla instead of 10%, which would be excused.

Overall, however, he nails the subject matter.

 

[BBHighway]

The part about Musk coming up with the idea for the Tesla was cringe-worthy.

In addition to Martin Eberhard, there was one other subject significantly missing from the article: Hydrogen. The fact that it made no mention at all could be interpreted as the meaning the writer sees no chance at all that hydrogen will actually ever make it in to any sort of commercial viability.