Lit Motors

Ever since their invention, cars have been powered by gasoline. Over the years as gas prices fluctuated and supplies continue to dwindle, motorists have started looking for a more reliable and cost effective alternative. As a result car companies have begun producing a new type of car to meet the demands of consumers; the electric car. In recent years the electric car has been a source of great controversy, some seeing it as the future of personal transportation, while others see it as the inefficient and unreliable dream of environmentalists. Currently, the United States has been supporting this growth and development of electric cars. The U.S is showing this support by providing tax benefits to consumers who purchase electric vehicles, along with providing government subsidies to companies such as Tesla who are fueling the growth of these electric cars. The United States should continue to promote the use and development of electric cars because they are beneficial to consumers, the economy, and the environment. The promotion of these electric cars will also lead to the continuing developments of technology. These improvements to technology will only further benefit society in the United States.

The U.S. electric passenger car industry in 2011 was described as being in its infancy, because it is still a new concept to buyers. However there are signs of growth from 2011-2015. Buyers do not consider the car because of price, travel range and vehicle size, along with other secondary concerns.

“We can break our dependence on oil…and become the first country to have one million electric vehicles on the road by 2015,” President Obama said in his January 2011 State of the Union address (Institute for Energy Research 1). While this may sound promising, the practicality and merit in achieving this goal remains unclear. Auto manufacturers have been working on plans for electric cars for years, especially the three largest companies in the US: Chevrolet, Chrysler, and Ford. These companies have been hoping that the development of electric cars would create a sort of lifestyle change for consumers, both weaning the U.S. off of its dependence on foreign oil and breathing life into the market for auto sales at the same time. Electric cars are often sold as zero emissions, but technically that is only true once they are charged and in terms of their tailpipe emissions. After all, they have to get their energy from somewhere and, more often than not, the electricity used for charging is supplied by traditional coal fired power plants. The real question then is whether the source and amount of energy required to build and supply an electric car with power is actually cleaner and more economical than a traditional combustion automobile. As it turns out, the answer is both unexpected and fairly complicated. In order to assess whether the use of

Opportunity: The electric automotive industry and Tesla should decrease both the costs of its batteries and in renewable energy to attract more purchasing customers.

Electric cars impose a serious risk on the oil and gas industry. The extent by which this market succeeds reciprocally defines the extent by which the oil and gas industry deteriorates. As with all forms of technology, there comes a point in time where one form of technology no longer appears to be useful in comparison with an applicable alternative. The current inhibitors of electric car adoption are the price of batteries and vehicle performance. With that being said, battery prices dropped over 30% just last year and are expected to continue dropping. Projections estimate that 35% of cars will have a plug by 20401. However, even in the next few years, companies such as Tesla, Chevrolet, and Nissan plan to offer electric cars on the market at an affordable price. The question then becomes: when the oil and gas market will be displaced by the electric market? If both markets produce a vehicle of similar price and quality, then it is reasonable to assume that a customer will choose the option that is more eco-friendly. The moral issue still remains: should the vehicles of tomorrow be fueled by gasoline or are viable options readily available and acceptable?

The promotional strategies that I chose included sponsoring events such as Daytona, offer free test rides, hire celebrity’s for endorsements, and publicize through Hollywood films. Sponsoring events would show a dedication by the company to support related sports that consumers can relate to. Celebrity endorsements offer the company a graphic image by having a relatable name fastened to the product. Offering free test rides provides a connection between the consumer and the product. It bonds the two together and allows the consumer to “feel the thunder”. The places that the business will market the Cruiser Thorr are on Manufacturer's Web Site via the Internet and various sellers. The World Wide Web will allow for a better chance for the product to be noticed on a broader level versus only having showroom viewings. Service promotions that will be added to the advertising chart are customization alternatives and financial services. Adhering to a financial plan with a limit of $13,000, the options that I chose kept the expenditures to $12,612. The final simulation included interpreting the market research findings. This would allow me to plot Cruiser Thorr's brand attributes on a perceptual map. I gave Lifestyle Image a rating of ten because it is what the customers appreciate most about the product. I gave Quality Engineering an eight because a large majority of the surveyed consumers indicated that Cruiser Thorr's engine build was stronger than the

The United States burns about a quarter of the world’s oil, half of which the gasoline powered automobile is responsible for (Lovins, 2004). For this reason, efficient, electrical forms of transportation are one of the key factors to limiting America’s oil dependence. Dating back to the late nineteenth century, the idea of the electric car is nothing new, however, in just recent years it has finally made significant progress. Innovations have enabled the electric vehicle to be portable and more attractive in recent years causing more people to make the switch from gas to electric. The transition from gasoline cars to electric vehicles projects significant breakthroughs for American energy including low dependence on oil and a cleaner future.

One driving force of change is technology. The automobile industry is constantly focusing on technology in order to make themselves and their cars better. They constantly compete to be the “first” one to have the newest and best idea. One of these ideas is an electric vehicle. GM, Ford, and Toyota all have electric automobiles. GM has the Chevy Volt. Volt One of Ford’s electric cars is the Electric Ranger. Ranger Toyota had the Rav4 EV, but due to discouraging sales it stopped production. “Toyota remains committed to developing an "Eco Vehicle," one that will have a minimal impact on the environment.” Rav4 One purpose of the electric automobiles is to have the ability to drive to work using only electricity. Currently during longer trips you would have to use a combination of electric and gasoline power. Electric Car

I recently read a nonfiction science book by Jill C. Wheeler called Alternative Cars. Many people don’t know this but electric cars were invented before gas powered cars, The first practical electric car was invented in 1884 while the gas car was invented in 1885 by Karl Benz. Cars were owned only by the rich back then and electric cars were considered ladies cars because you didn’t need to crank the engine to start it and it went much slower with a very small amount of power. Electric cars soon became rare when Henry Ford came out with the Ford Model T, which sold over 15 million cars between 1908 and 1927. Electric cars were so expensive compared to the mass produced Model T that they ceased production. The idea of electric cars came back again in the 1960s after a severe decrease in petroleum. Around this time many people became worried about pollution and sought cars with better gas millage which produced less CO2. In 1996 General Motors (GM) Mass produced an electric car they named the EV1, it became popular because it was inexpensive compared to the previous cars made. In 2004 GM gave in to the oil companies pressure to stop production and blamed their lack of consumers who wanted their product. In 2006 Tesla Motors came out with the lightweight, fast, and sporty Tesla Roadster. This was not

In 1900, 38% of cars were electrically powered. These electric cars were second only to steam powered automobiles up until the invention of the electric car starter and the muffler in 1912. The drop in popularity was due to a surge in demand for gasoline-powered vehicles whose ease of use and relatively low cost are factors that continue to sway consumers toward gasoline-based cars today (Duke Energy). From 1912 to 1997 - the year Toyota unveiled its first Prius model - carbon emissions skyrocketed as a result of electric cars falling out of production and gasoline dominating the United States' market as the primary transportation fuel. (Bowling 2013). As concerns for global warming grew, other companies began releasing hybrids, and, in 2006, Tesla Motors released the Tesla Roadster, a fully electric ultra-sport car that could out-race many gasoline driven vehicles (Duke Energy). From there, the electric car market slowed while consumers wrestled with the decision between ultra-high gas prices increasing in 2008 up to four dollars per gallon, and the increased vehicle cost of the electric and hybrid cars on the current market (Duke Energy). Since then, hundreds of hybrid and electric vehicles have been released, ranging from compact Smart cars to economical hybrids, hybrid SUVs, and all the way up to the top-of-the-line, all-electric, luxury

Current government subsidies and policy with regard to the EV industry make use of three basic principles of economics: “People face trade-offs”, “People respond to incentives” and “Governments can sometimes improve market outcomes.” These basic economic principles are effectively propelling us to a better market outcome that includes a future global economy with alternatives to gasoline powered vehicles, and therefore minimizes our dependence on oil to large

In 10 years, it is believed that the electric car will slowly start to push the gasoline/petrol vehicle to the curb, and it will do it with style and swagger. In this ever growing age of technology and advancement, more and more people are either looking very seriously into or have already transitioned from ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles. The transition is seemingly a slow one for the majority of the public and although it is understandable, it is also inevitable. Combustion engine vehicles have been around for over a century and have dominated the car industry greatly. The reliance on ICE engines can be visible in any direction someone turns, walking through the streets of any city. The mindset that ICE rules, and is the only efficient and viable method of transportation is slowly being replaced by the ever decreasing well of fossil fuels and oil on earth. Oil has been the spine of the Earth and the gasoline car, it’s pumping heart.

The problem for most people is that “Going Green” is not cost efficient, and most working families are unable to afford making the efforts. As of September 2015, there were over thirty models of electric cars. The world 's top selling highway-capable electric car was the Nissan Leaf, released in December 2010 (Schaal, 2015). The fact that the vehicle is powered by

With the invention of the first electric car in 1837 by chemist Robert Davidson of Aberdeen, there was the hope for cleaner transport system. The electric vehicle used power from galvanic cells or batteries. He later in 1841 advanced to a seven-ton vehicle that used two direct reluctant motors. The two motors had more energy than galvanic cells. The electric vehicle would move at a speed of four miles per hour. Electric vehicles were very common in 18th and 19th century. Most people found them convenient, they as they met most of the environmental requirements in the world. The first electric vehicle was innovated as a result of high prices of petrol. Electricity was one of the preferred method for propulsion of electric vehicle. Gasoline

In 1908 the electric car suffered a big blow. That year, Henry Ford introduced the mass-produced Model T. It made gasoline-powered cars widely available and affordable. By 1912, the gasoline car cost only $650, while an electric car sold for $1,750. By the 1920s, the U.S. had much better roads connecting cities, which Americans were eager to explore. When crude oil was discovered in Texas, gas became cheap and was easily available to rural Americans, while few had electricity. By 1935, electric vehicles had all but disappeared (Energy.gov, 2014). Commercially available EVs hit the market again in 2011 (Larson, P., Viáfara, J., Parsons, R., Elias, A., 2014). Environmental concerns about air quality, growing concerns about global warming, and finite fossil fuel supplies prompted a new emphasis on the production of more fuel-efficient vehicles (Nayum, Klöckner., Mehmetoglu, 2016). These concerns led to the development of improvements in automobile materials, system technologies, and the design of improved rechargeable battery systems that are smaller, lighter weight, and have a longer lasting charge. Advances such as these have rapidly accelerated the design of better, more reliable EVs (Coffman, Bernstein, Wee, 2016). Unfortunately, sales of these vehicles are not progressing as quickly as had been hoped, some prominent reasons being that EV vehicles are still too expensive, consumers continue to have “range anxiety” (the fear of