How to be the next Tesla
A traffic jam of upstarts is vying to follow in Elon Musk’s tyre tracks. Does any stand a chance?
CARMAKING IS LITTERED with defunct marques, from Diatto and Hupmobile to Mercer and Whitlock. America spawned around 250 firms by the 1910s. As the 20th century wound to a close it had three that mattered: Ford, General Motors (GM) and Chrysler. In the past few years an electric version of the early American automobile boom is unfolding on a global scale.
This article appeared in the Business section of the print edition under the headline “Chasing Tesla”
More from Business
Corporate America’s diversity wars are just getting started
Donald Trump’s attacks on DEI are causing huge headaches for bosses
What Elon Musk should learn from Larry Ellison
The founder of Oracle has demonstrated remarkable staying power
Football clubs are making more money than ever. Players not so much
For both teams and their top stars, it helps to have a brand
The allure of the company town
Lego, Corning and the survival of an old idea
From cribs to carriers, high-end baby products are in vogue
Demographic and technological changes are making infancy more expensive
No one gains from American tariffs on cars from Mexico and Canada
Donald Trump’s levy will hit his country’s carmakers hardest