Business Model Challenges: The Electric Vehicle Company

Electric vehicles have been 'the next big trend' for more than 100 years. The first commercially viable electric car was available in the 1890s but failed to become the dominant design. The case chronicles the development of the Electric Vehicle Company (EVC), founded in 1896, which by the turn of the century was the largest manufacturer and user of electric vehicles in the United States. Students evaluate the competition between the three different available engine technologies (gas, electric and steam) and their value propositions. Applying the Business Model Canvas, they explore the misfit between the immature technology and the ambitious sales strategy of EVC. The case guides students in designing a turnaround plan, which addresses many of the challenges that electric car companies, such as Tesla, struggle with today.