I'm less optimistic about the conventional auto industry. Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems to me that conventional auto companies had to be dragged kicking and screaming into marketing desirable EVs. The conventional auto industry is full of ICE heads and hates EVs, and many of the dealers and unions and auto ecosystem companies also hate EVs because EVs require less maintenance. No oil changes, less moving parts, etc.

Most people will resist change until they are forced into it. Even then some people will literally go down with the ship.

> The conventional auto industry is full of ICE heads and hates EVs

That doesn't correspond with the practical realities. Here are some battery electrics that will be released across the next two years, some of which are already available:

https://www.myev.com/research/interesting-finds/hottest-new-...

Look at what a company like Hyundai is doing. Hyundai produces hydrogen fuel cell cars:

https://www.hyundai.de/Modelle/NEXO.html

Hyundai (with Kia) produces EV versions of the Hyundai Kona and the Kia Niro, two battery electrics with good range at a more affordable price than the luxury EVs:

https://www.hyundai.co.uk/new-cars/kona-electric

https://www.kia.com/uk/new-cars/all-new-e-niro/

Hyundai also has plans for on-car solar:

https://electrek.co/2018/10/31/hyundai-kia-solar-roof-electr...

I don't think any of this adds up to them hating EVs. Hyundai is ahead of most companies on the road to the practical, affordable EV.

>Every company has an electric car in their blueprints, Tesla is the right size to benefit for the small demand that the market created on its own

They have those blueprints because of Tesla, they were not going to be nearly as quick to market with electric cars before hand.

> They have those blueprints because of Tesla

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/General_Motors_EV1

https://www.nissan-global.com/EN/ZEROEMISSION/HISTORY/RNESSA...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_RAV4_EV

they're all sitting on a lot of technology, the current volume doesn't justify them to push into production, where tesla could use their gung-ho startup attitude and startup capital to run off the equivalent of rounding error for the establishment

Reminds me of "the Innovator's Dilemma." Established companies are not able take advantage of lower profit margins, but growing ones are.

> Tesla was the only one in position to profit for it timely

They're currently down about $15 billion dollars (and a couple billion more in incentives).

GM lost $3.9bn last year.

There is a reason GM, Audi, Daimler etc are shifting to electric vehicles.

As I said, everyone has plans but the market is quite small for the big companies to move.

GM turned a loss selling nine million vehicles or so, opening a whole line to enter a market which is moving just one million units or so competing with players like Tesla that operate at almost a loss make zero sense.

They'll keep their design fresh and up to date to be ready when the time comes, but so far it's territory of steps and smaller companies that can profit from small production runs

As I said, there is a reason they are all switching to EVs.

The Tesla Model S, in its main US market, is the leader in the luxury car market. Model 3 is the #1 selling car by revenue.

Production is limited to 2 US factories. Worldwide numbers go up fast when they have a Euro factory, Chinese factory, etc.

> GM turned a loss selling nine million vehicles or so, opening a whole line to enter a market which is moving just one million units or so competing with players like Tesla that operate at almost a loss make zero sense.

And yet they are doing it.

Volt is a hybrid. They are increasing production of their EV Bolt. And plan on 20 new all-electric vehicles globally by 2023.

> And yet they are doing it.

Yes that why they killed the volt