Elon Musk vs Carlos Ghosn, Electric Car Charging Strategy
June 4, 2013 in EV charging, EV News, LEAF, Nissan, Tesla
ROLLE, Switzerland (May 30, 2013) – Sylvie Lailler became the 10,000th Nissan LEAF customer in Europe this week, further cementing the ground-breaking zero emission car’s status as the best-selling electric vehicle of all time. Mrs. Lailler is a nurse who will be driving the Nissan LEAF on visits to elderly patients and using it with her family at the weekends. She picked up her Nissan LEAF from the Mantes-la-Jolie dealership near Paris, near where she lives.
Photo courtesy of Nissan
The Nissan LEAF had a good May, 2,138 sales in the United States. The brand is entrenching into society. Zero-emissions! All-electric! This is the long-term direction for the world, because it is the most logical direction. Electricity is already distributed, and clean sustainable energies can be integrated into the grid from a variety of sources: water, earth, wind and sun. There will be a tipping point, but it is not 2,138 in sales for the LEAF. We will know it when it happens.
Nissan CEO Carlos Ghosn manufactures the LEAF in the U.S., U.K. and Japan, and he plans to produce the electric car in China as well. When the tipping point does arrive, he has the company ready to mass manufacture electric cars to major markets. Mr. Ghosn is a winner. He is a competitor. But, his charging strategy needs work. He is going to have to change course, or he is going to lose future sales. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has the right strategy, and he knows it, which is spurring him to go faster. By the end of this year, he plans to drive cross-country using the Supercharger network, for free.
Tesla Supercharger
Photo courtesy of Tesla
Yes, I know that most EV drivers charge at home, and this will not likely change dramatically. However, most progressive cities will eventually deploy various wireless and solar EV charging systems. As more and more electric passenger cars and commercial vehicles enter the market, the demand for these charging systems will increase. Wireless charging makes the most sense for commercial vehicles, such as buses, that run regular routes.
For passenger cars, going long-distance, free fast-charging on sunshine is going to be difficult to beat. As far as Mr. Musk is concerned, the competition can follow or not. He is not going to wait for the industry. He is just plowing ahead, doing what makes sense to bring about the adoption of electric cars.
Tesla is way ahead and moving quickly. Other electric car manufacturers are going to lose sales in the long-term if they do not have something that is comparable to Tesla’s Supercharger network. The generation III, when it comes, will be a game changer.
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