ETHAN LIPMAN’s Post

Some EV players will find they were so early they are now wrong. "Some auto executives acknowledge they got ahead of the market with overzealous demand projections. Pandemic-era supply-chain shocks and a resulting car shortage created long waiting lists and early buzz for EVs, making the industry overly optimistic. Only later, as a barrage of new EVs hit the market, did executives realize that car buyers were more discerning than they expected. Many were hesitant to pay a premium for a vehicle that came with compromises. Farley and other industry CEOs are still confident that EVs will eventually take off, albeit at a slower pace than initially envisioned. But for now, the massive miscalculation has left the industry in a bind, facing a potential glut of EVs and half-empty factories while still having to meet stricter environmental regulations globally." https://lnkd.in/etye3Sw3

Customers are saying NOT SO FAST. After months and months and months of fait accompli language about electric vehicles, customers are fighting back and saying: too expensive, 24/7 charging availability is a myth, battery lifespan and reliability is dire, environmental tradeoff is questionable. Don't ever forget that your customers are 'always in the drivers seat' about everything. #electricvehicles #electricvehiclecharging #electricvehiclerevolution #electricvehiclesarethefuture

We are in the middle of a huge national debate in the United States in which the skepticism of the "gasoline forever" folks in the face of EV innovation reminds me of the year 1900. These folks are very much like the guy who bought a car to pull with his mule. The following is from an article by a man who sold the first American made car in 1897, Alexander Winton. The point he makes is just as relevant today. When innovation gets underway we just don't know what consumers will want in the end until we try 100 different failures. "In the uncertainty of what the public would want, a great many strange contraptions were put together. Joseph Barsaleaux, a blacksmith of Sandy Hill, New York, built a motor horse. In his device, the horse moved on a single wheel about two feet in diameter, with the wheel attached to the shafts just as was a live horse. Reins attached to the mouth of the horse served as a steering gear, because the machinery was inside the horse and had to be regulated some way. The contraption weighed about 550 pounds, had a cruising speed of six miles an hour, and attracted some serious attention. In Washington there was a vehicle which gained its power by using compressed city gas. George Elrick of Joliet, Illinois, was busy with an engine having no wheels or gears and which manufactured its own gas as it went along. D.I. Lybe of Sidney, Iowa, was the owner of patents on a spring-motor device which stored energy running downhill and used it going uphill, while on level ground he claimed his vehicle would cover 2,000 feet at a maximum speed of 30 miles an hour. Compressed air and superheated water were to be employed by another company. At the time there was more money and in uence back of that idea than was behind all the gasoline-car manufacturers put together. Cars with steam propulsion came in — not one or two but more than 100. Electric vehicles clogged the market, but in the end, public opinion turned to gasoline because it was clean, safe, and dependable." https://lnkd.in/eiUeyxJm

Some auto executives acknowledge they got ahead of the market with overzealous demand projections. Pandemic-era supply-chain shocks and a resulting car shortage created long waiting lists and early buzz for EVs, making the industry overly optimistic. Only later, as a barrage of new EVs hit the market, did executives realize that car buyers were more discerning than they expected. Many were hesitant to pay a premium for a vehicle that came with compromises. https://lnkd.in/ercTVuFj

China's primary 'policy' around EVs is not about incentives and support for electrification. The overwhelming reason is Energy Security. China is importing about 70% of their petroleum needs. They are overly dependent on oil imports. But China does have Hydroelectric capacity, Natural Gas and Coal; all of which can generate electrical energy, which can power EVs.

Electric Cars: Safer or Danger? At Dixie Law Group, your safety is our top priority. As the popularity of electric vehicles grows, we’re exploring whether they’re truly safer than traditional cars. Dive into our blog to understand the risks and benefits, because your safety on the road matters to us. https://lnkd.in/erFsk24k

Timely piece in The Wall Street Journal about the very bumpy road companies are encountering vis-à-vis consumer adoption of EVs, featuring material from the AlixPartners Global Automotive Outlook. Feel free to reach out if you’d like to hear our ideas on how companies can and are coping.   #electricvehicles #ev #automotive

Clarence Page: Is it an electric car or a Bidenmobile? Greening of transportation gets political.: … helps to explain why electric cars, trucks and SUVs have become a … over the future of the automobile in the U.S. Add … quickly toward electric vehicles and hybrids. Yet, in a concession to … in 2022, according to Cox Automotive. EV sales in the U … #car #cars #awesome

At EVT, we champion the benefits of electric vehicles, but believe the customer should have the choice—without government mandates. The technology, driving experience, and performance, with features like instant torque and low center of gravity, speak for themselves. Shout out to Mickey Anderson for his leadership in calling attention to the realities of EV sales. His stance reminds us that while incentives help, real consumer demand must drive growth in this sector. Dealers argue that government incentives and emissions rules aren’t driving enough demand, and warn that upcoming mandates, which require the majority of new car sales to be EVs by 2032, are unrealistic. EV sales are slowing, despite price cuts and subsidies, raising doubts about achieving ambitious EV targets. In 2024 through August, EVs made up just 7.8% of vehicle sales, a minimal increase from last year. Carmakers and dealerships face losses, with some like Ford scaling back EV plans. This issue could become a significant talking point in the upcoming election. #ElectricVehicles #EVTech #EVFuture #Sustainability #CustomerChoice #Automotive #ElectricMobility #EVAdvocacy #ElectricRevolution #FutureOfTransportation #Mobility https://lnkd.in/dY2Qjsid

It is simple business 101: Companies need to offer what customers want. “Ultimately, we will follow the customer,” GM Chief Executive Mary Barra told analysts this month. Yes, customers are fickle. Yes, EV transition is more than just customer wants; enter government policies and environmental concerns. It's a matter of demand. "Many were hesitant to pay a premium for a vehicle that came with compromises." The math just doesn't work. #automotiveindustry #evtransition #hybridvehicles #whatcustomerswant