3 ms·

Imagine you are CEO of a german car company- and you see the change coming, you want to change your whole company to adapt to that. Now first thing you would h

Imagine you are CEO of a german car company- and you see the change coming, you want to change your whole company to adapt to that. Now first thing you would have to break is the "Zyklus". The "Zyklus" is a 5 year period, in which a care is designed, everything is specified, prototypes are produced and tested, part-deliverers are driven in "netherland"-auctions to go to the lowest price for a specified part (like the software), assembly lines are errected (and "Sonder-maschinen" are ordered for that) and finally the car is produced. Each of this departments is in more or less open rebellion against your intentions. And they got good arguments. Electric cars are not green currently. They are coal cars - says the marketing department. Methanol-Cars, using re-synthesized straw is a 100 % green fuel and could re-use our existing technology not dropping our advantage says engineering. And there have been some small-scale breakthroughs there recently regarding method efficiency. Fuels are definatly a better storage then batterys. https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/BtL-Kraftstoff https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/BtL-Kraftstoff All parts vital for a electric cars are easy to get at any time, except batterys, so lets avoid those and switch later, when we dont have to re-invest so much for the tech - says the "Einkauf". Its a death by a thousand stings. The best thing they could do, is basically form completely seperate companys inside there old mother companys, that are not bound to these cycles and rules. This is where the power-structure comes to kill you. In any feudal-hierarchical power-structure creating a new department - creates a rush of power-thirsty individuals who want to get to the top. So far so natural. These individuals, will migrate from the old-parts of your company into the new part- bringing along the experience and the mindset of the old company. And thats it. Thats is how a dinosaur dies. Willing to change, but the body wont rearrange.

catdog 9y ago
Another factor is that fuel based propulsion systems are a key differentiator for them, it's complex machinery which is not simply bought from some supplier like most other components. Electric propulsion is way simpler with a lot less moving parts, "everybody" can do it. This also will result in jobs disappearing and politics, which is deeply tied to that industry does its best to delay that inevitable change. Without outside pressure you can't really fight these internal power structures because currently business is still running great.

catdog 9y ago

Another factor is that fuel based propulsion systems are a key differentiator for them, it's complex machinery which is not simply bought from some supplier like most other components. Electric propulsion is way simpler with a lot less moving parts, "everybody" can do it. This also will result in jobs disappearing and politics, which is deeply tied to that industry does its best to delay that inevitable change. Without outside pressure you can't really fight these internal power structures because currently business is still running great.