Tesla's biggest risk - Part 1

The origin of the problem

Did you know that electric cars are a much older technology than we think? Obviously, they have long been overshadowed by gasoline cars. But then came Elon Musk, who revolutionized this industry by creating a company called Tesla, which many of us know. Today, Tesla is valued at $521 billion, completely revitalizing the electric car industry. However, the current future of electric cars may face a disappearance similar to the first time. But guess who has come to the rescue of this technology? Supermarkets. What is happening in the electric car industry? Why can supermarkets be its salvation? Let's take a closer look.

Lost in Combat

At the beginning of the 19th century, the railroad revolutionized long-distance transportation. However, individual transportation still relied on animal-drawn carriages. This situation led industrialists and engineers of the time to seek a solution, and the electricity revolution provided the answer sooner than expected: the electric car. Several European inventors made similar advances in the early years of the century. Hungarian engineer Ányos Jedlik invented the first electric motor in 1828, while Scottish entrepreneur and chemist Robert Anderson developed a prototype car powered by electric cells. Similar advancements were made in Scotland, the United States, and the Netherlands. However, their main obstacle was the lack of rechargeable batteries, rendering them useless. In 1859, Gaston Planté invented rechargeable batteries, which boosted the electric car's popularity in cities. The first early adopters of the time were New York taxi drivers.

By then, electric cars were considered the transportation of the future. Even gasoline car manufacturers used them for personal use, designing them with luxury and noble materials for the upper class. However, this situation wouldn't last long. Gasoline cars played their cards so well that they opened an insurmountable gap with the introduction of automatic starters, new oil reserves, and the mass production of Henry Ford's Model T. Gasoline cars became more comfortable and affordable than their electric rivals. Gasoline cars cost around $650, while electric cars cost $1750. But it wasn't until the arrival of World War I that gasoline cars prevailed due to their greater range, speed, and power, relegating electric cars to the background forever—or at least, that's what was believed.

In 1997, in response to growing climate concerns, Toyota launched the Toyota Prius, followed by Tesla in 2006 with the Tesla Roadster, introducing new lithium-ion battery technologies and reviving interest in electric vehicles. Today, almost every automotive company is developing electric vehicles. In 2022, electric cars accounted for one in seven cars sold, with a market value of over $190 billion. However, despite the growing acceptance of electric cars, there is a greater challenge than gasoline car competition: the lack of charging infrastructure.

Why Electric Cars Could Be in Danger

The electric vehicle market is still small compared to the more than 280 million gasoline-powered vehicles on the road, which generate about 20% of greenhouse gas emissions. This has raised global awareness about fossil fuels. Measures were implemented to reduce harmful emissions by 55% by 2030, aiming to return to 1990s levels. One of these measures is to eliminate the sale of gasoline, diesel, and hybrid vehicles by 2035. However, there is an even more challenging enemy for electric vehicle adoption: the lack of charging infrastructure.

Currently, there is a shortage of public charging stations, causing anxiety among electric vehicle owners. While Tesla represents 80% of the electric vehicle market in the United States, about 80% of its owners charge their vehicles at home. This lack of development in public charging stations has not been able to keep up with current needs.

Part 2