Residual Value: Electric Batteries vs. Internal Combustion Engine Vehicles

Re:Residual Value: Electric Batteries vs. Internal Combustio... by intrasight on Monday March 27, 2017 @10:37AM (#13968053)

Capitalism depends first on competition and then on competitive advantage. We need standards for modular power storage before we can have competition. Look at the competition for standard PC PSUs. Super high-quality and low cost - compared to proprietary power supplies.

Compete on quality (life, weight, cycles, etc) within the bounds of a modular standard.

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Re:Residual Value: Electric Batteries vs. Internal Combustio... by URSpider94 on Monday March 27, 2017 @12:52PM (#13969382)

Read The Innovator's Dilemma. Standardization in fact usually comes later, once the component in question has reached commodity status. Until then, if there is a competitive advantage to be gained by customizing, then the market leaders will make that investment to stay out in front. The leaders will either fight or snub standardization.

Referring to the PC industry, the availability of standard components marked the death of the premium desktop business, since these days anyone with two hands and a screwdriver can bolt together a desktop as good as any other. That's great for customers, not so good for incumbents like IBM.

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Re:Residual Value: Electric Batteries vs. Internal Combustio... by intrasight on Monday March 27, 2017 @08:17PM (#13972931)

IBM realized years ago that there's little value (in their case negative value) in being they guy with a screwdriver.

>The leaders will either fight or snub standardization.

I'll still claim that my PSU analogy applies. The leaders exist because of and welcome the standards. Those that fight and snub will certainly not be leaders.

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