Tesla is to be considered as a new high tech automaker that produces and sells top of its class electric vehicles and power trains. Utilizing its competitive advantage the automaker has positioned itself through its technological leadership and exploiting its competitive differentiation. That is to deliver high rated environmentally dependable vehicles with the benefits offered by most premium cars already in the market and beyond. There is no doubt this segment leading technology will continue to evolve, but most importantly, the list of patents the company holds will hedge against new entrants and imitators, enabling Tesla, domination of the market in the short term while the future of the EV segment is define.
It is important to mention as well the expertise the company has been able to create, and the culture of innovation it aims to sustain. Since inception, the strategic positioning of its company in an environment that feeds of innovation has proven to attract many necessary and ambitious key players that cooperate both externally and internally to the company. The best example, Tesla teamed with Lotus to manufacture the Tesla Roadster, a vehicle that successfully tackled unlike predecessors and current competitors, range and performance.
The company is aware of the threat of other company’s intentions to lunch hybrid or electrical vehicles, most likely priced for mass distribution, creating a very competitive environment for years to come. At this point the company is already competing not only with overall automobile market but with already established marketed “green “cars, such as hybrid vehicles and plug-in hybrids. Up until the end of 2010 the company has opened exclusive stores in major metropolitan areas in th...
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... decrease. In the other hand, if consumer trends for EV’s rise, the company should be in great shape to create economies of scale and tackle sales, as their technology and products are already on display and growing. This scenario of market growth will lead other companies to introduce opponents for Tesla’s products, although currently the opportunity is on the table to show consumers the breakthrough in EV technology by Tesla. Tesla’s intense research and development can lead the company to innovate and produce lower cost EV’s that are in effect a threat to the company, as many other low cost EV’ are already offered. Still Tesla offers high range vehicles were other class vehicles do not compete, such as Mercedes, Audi, and BMW. This is important to note as brand equity could increase as it can be compared to brands that have long operating records of success.
This was noted as a bold endeavor with a substantial amount of risk. Tom Folliard, the CEO of CarMax used innovation to redirect the current trend of standard practices, (De Wit, & Meyer, 2010). Through expansion, CarMax provided a wide variety of automotive brands to their customers, not limiting their sales to only a few makes and models, (De Wit, & Meyer, 2010). CarMax also eliminated the past practices of pressure sales by establishing fixed prices. The Team agreed that CarMax had gained a competitive edge in the market by catering to the consumer through a variety of products with set prices and no sales pressure. AutoNation CEO, Wayne Huizenga was noted as quite the entrepreneur with an initial focus on Waste Management and Block Buster Videos, an example of fragmented industry, (De Wit, & Meyer, 2010). This diversity definitely has its advantages, but can lead to misdirection regarding sustainability in one industry. The team noted similarities between the CEO’s regarding their creativity and defiance of industry rules. As the team compared the different strategies of CarMax and AutoNation, we noticed two different methods of application, each were effective yet differed in application. In a bold move, AutoNation, under new CEO Mike Jackson, followed the CarMax strategy of implementing set prices and eliminating high-pressure sales, (De Wit, & Meyer, 2010). Through creative thinking, AutoNation improved upon their practices by implementing Smart Choice software, which enhanced customer satisfaction by reducing transaction times, (De Wit, & Meyer, 2010). AutoNation captured the competitive edge over CarMax by catering to the automotive manufactures with a focus on brand versus variety, (De Wit, & Meyer, 2010). The
When the Tesla Model S was first released, Consumer Reports named the Electric Vehicle (EV) the most remarkable auto ever tested. The consumer protection publication; that has been looking out for their readers since 1936; said that the Flagship vehicle from Elon Musk’s Motor Company, was essentially flawless. Its performance on the track and in safety testing was second to none. However, due to a drop in quality class; from average to below; the Tesla Model S has been removed from Consumer Reports’ Recommended List.
Nissan was the first company to introduce a 100 percent electric car that produces zero emission and they had great hopes for this vehicle (“Nissan Product Information”). According to Michael Strong, the company believed that this car would be the future of transportation and that it would soon be responsible for 10 percent of all new vehicle sales. However, after 3 years on the market, Nissan’s CEO Ghosn admitted that the Nissan Leaf is only accountable for 4...
...rther then the end of 2010, the introduction of the electric car is not far to come. With proper government regulations and consumer knowledge, adoptability of the electric car is possible. However, one can drastically differ in opinion as to why the required elements to support such a vehicle were not readily planned to facilitate such a change. The inadequacies draw wavering concerns for both consumers and business looking for the return of value and profit. The larger picture needs to be remembered in which oil is not a renewable resource and results in pollution and environmental hazard. Consumers and business must work together to overcome the roadblocks down the road and support each other in the introduction of and future of the electric car. Adjustments will have to be made on both sides to ensure success and minimize the society and economy disruptions.
As humans delve into the twenty-first century, scientific research continues at an exponentially increasing rate. While the work of researchers seems to affect people in positive ways, the common debate among the general population is whether or not there is a limit to how far scientists can take their research and impact the future of society. The changes that scientists induce upon society often escape foresight, such as diseases, dangerous paints, and other products that do not pass the test of time. One big issue that is fiercely debated is how to go about switching to alternative-fuel-source automobiles, given that the world’s supply of oil will run dry relatively soon. The electric car seems to be the best candidate as a replacement for the moment, but many people are still weary about completely discarding the trusty internal combustion engine for an invention barely as old as the people who will buy them. The electric fuel is promising, but it has not been around long enough to undergo the test of time needed for mass acceptance. Here the more direct question arises: is the electric car the solution to a more economically responsible car?
Portfolio Project: Tesla Motors Case Study Tesla Motors (Tesla), founded in 2003 by Elon Musk, is an automotive company focused on enhancing Electric Vehicle market by creating optimum performance, all electric, vehicles for every class of consumer (Tesla Motors, 2015). In order to achieve such ambitious goals, Tesla Motors not only designs, but also manufactures, and personally sells the company’s electric vehicles (Hirsch, 2015). As additional quality assurance, Tesla Motors also designs, manufactures, and sells, electric vehicle power-train components, and battery products (Hirsch, 2015). Yet, despite the pivotal role Tesla’s self curated products play in the success of Tesla’s vehicles, the socially responsible company does not privatize Apart from Musk’s concise vision statement Tesla has a truly inspiring mission statement, “At the core, Tesla Motors believes that electric cars should not be perceived as a sacrificial mode of transportation. Tesla Motors has brought the best of both the automotive and technological worlds together by permanently etching the image of electric cars being a step backwards in performance, efficiency, and design” (Tesla Motors, Chiefly, and most apparently, it is the goal of Tesla Motor to generate demand for Tesla vehicles (Andrade, Holloway, Payne, Roy & Sheffield, 2015).
Tesla Motors initially gained widespread attention by manufacturing the Tesla Roadster, the primary totally electrical sports automobile. The company's second vehicle was the Model S, a completely electrical luxury sedan. Tesla additionally markets electrical powertrain elements, as well as lithium-ion battery packs, to automakers, as well as engineer and Toyota. Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, has said he envisions Tesla as an independent maker, geared toward eventually providing electrical cars worth cheap to the typical client.
With a gasoline-fueled vehicle, buying gas to operate your car is a never-ending process. With the high price change of gasoline and oil, operating a gasoline-fueled vehicle tends to be very costly. While there are some types of small gasoline vehicles that get much better gas mileage than larger vehicles, even the most powerful gasoline cars will normally desire a contribution every month. According to some experts the only way a mainstream market for green vehicles wills materlize is with a pronounced and prolonged rise in fuel prices. (Buss, 4)
Having both marketing strategies and both products analyzed and the history of the important marketing decisions made and techniques used by the company written down, it will be interesting to perform a critical analysis of how the market and business realities made an impact on the marketing of Tesla Motors, why it happened and what was the effect. The presence of the CEO and the impact he makes on the public and investor confidence will also be critically reviewed. Based on the results, a list of recommendations will be composed for both representatives and marketing specialists who work in the same or similar
This has resulted in exposing many automobile users to unpredictable prices of fuel. These issues were, however, the reason for the inception of Tesla Motors so as to bring into existence another set of automotive which serves the similar purpose but uses another form of energy that is electricity to drive them instead of the disadvantageous gasoline-powered engine. This invention was influenced by a number of factors in terms of its planning and performance (Hunger, 2010). Factors affecting Tesla’s planning and performance. The success of any organization, just like the Tesla Motor, largely depends on the planning of the activities by the management team in the company.
Tesla has managed to build a notable brand name for itself not in the electric car market, but in the overall automotive industry. Its brand performance offers a robust, reliable and unique image that gives customers the satisfaction that electric cars can be stylish, reliable, hassle-free and much less bulky than internal combustion engine vehicles.
Another strategy used by BMW to differentiate itself from other automakers in the market is the proactive usage of technology and innovativeness in the development of products. From the early 1990’s, BMW has been on the forefront of incorporating technology in its designs in line with the technological advances of the modern world. This has led to the creation of inventive products. The uniqueness of these auto products put BMW in a position of advantage. The development of the hydrogen car as early as 2000 was an indicator of the company’s innovative strategy. In addition, the company also presents itself as environment friendly creating a whole range of vehicles in this category. This is a differentiation strategy meant to boost the company’s image and reputation amongst customers. In addition, this gives the environment conscious customers a variety of products to choose from giving BMW an upper hand in the industry.
In recent years, business or green business was no longer an option, becoming an obligation. Companies started to change their mindset and values to develop new environmental proposals, for example launching second ecological lines. However, the abuse of this trend is causing some fatigue and distrust among consumers, especially when certain product categories fall far short of what the consumer is expecting. One of the clearest cases is found in the positioning of the car.
Tesla is highly recognized for its excellent lead in the enhancement of a sustainable future. In summary, there is a need for protecting the environment to become cleaner, greener and sustainable one. With the number of vehicles that operate globally on petroleum and diesel, the environment will be wasted and totally degraded in a short time. It is important to apply such new technologies for the better of the future. Tesla been a pioneer in this industry has brought about changes that can be applied to change the world. For this reason, as many companies as possible should embrace the strategy of Tesla in the development of a sustainable future.
The Capital investment, skilled and licensed labour force, technological advancements, working with good quality suppliers is considered big barriers of entry into this industry. The future requirement of electric cars and hybrid vehicles has opened this industry to some new entrants like Tesla.