Electric vehicles: compelling business ideas need more than enthusiasm. This 2005 discussion looks at conversion costs, commercial uncertainty, and the appeal of electric propulsion. It also considers a classic Ford Model T concept as an example of the ideas circulating at the time.
Editor’s note: This article preserves a 2005 EV business discussion. Its cost references and first-person timelines belong to that period. The text has been edited for readability, and an incomplete excerpt has been removed.
Source: EV World Blog
Tuesday 25 October 2005
Electric Vehicles: Compelling Business Questions
I know by the reaction of most people that electric vehicles are cool. The reaction that I normally get is something like “This is the coolest thing I have ever seen!” I have been dealing with battery electric vehicles for five years now. I also think that they are cool…
I have been exploring ways to turn a profit on this cool technology for a few months now. Business can be very hard. If it is easy to make money, everyone would be doing it. It is survival of the fittest, like most natural systems. Building an electric car is not cheap. The electrical parts are in the thousands of dollars, as well as the batteries. The business plan is very risky no matter how I look at it.
A Classic Ford Model T versus a Modern Electric Ford Model T
By John A. Gilkison and Phillip R. Knox
How swapping the engine and drive train of a classic Ford Model T could create a much better driving experience, save energy, and reduce emissions. This blog revisits Henry Ford’s and Thomas Edison’s idea of producing an electric Model T for the masses using modern technology and examines the benefits a modern electric drive train would bring to this classic car.
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