The PC industry is going through a critical phase with the recent paradigm shift in the IT market. Major companies have abandoned their PC business and even the remaining PC makers are either downsizing or seeking new commercial opportunities. The passing of time brings changes and as life environment changes, so does the overall social framework. For the corporate world, these changes entail expansion and cutbacks, and those who end up falling out of the competition must find a way out to overcome the crisis situation.

The automobile industry, accounting for biggest market share in the manufacturing sector, is facing an imminent generational shift. Until now, manufacturers have focused on developing fossil fuel powered cars but that is about to change, with new electric vehicles coming to market. For consumers, it makes little difference whether cars are powered by fossil fuel, such as gasoline and diesel, or battery-driven, so long as they are cost effective and convenient. However, the conflict of interest is much more complicated for oil refinery companies, their partner firms, the governments who impose tax on gasoline, car manufacturers and dealers. And that is why a sudden paradigm shift in the automobile industry will have serious consequences.

At present, Tesla Motors, the American automotive company headed by Elon Musk, is at the forefront of electric vehicle industry. Whereas most car brands built electric cars based on modified combustion engines in an attempt to ¡®test the waters¡¯, Tesla was founded in 2003 as a startup for design, manufacturing and sales of electric cars and electric vehicle powertrain components. With its headquarters in Palo Alto, California, Tesla markets mainly to the US and Canada. Tesla¡¯s European headquarters are in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, and the European distribution center and final assembly facility was established in 2013 in Tilburg in the Netherlands, providing Tesla a strategic foothold for targeting the global market.

Aside from the US, Tesla sells its electric cars to Western Europe including the UK, France, Germany, Netherlands, Norway, as well as Hong Kong and Japan in Asia. Tesla is dedicated to carving a path forward in China, one of the highest-grossing locations worldwide. While Tesla has previously hinted that they may at least be considering selling the Model S in South Korea, the automaker has yet to commit to any launch plans.

Tesla Motors is named after electrical engineer and physicist Nikola Tesla. Incorporated in 2003, Tesla introduced their first electric prototype vehicle ¡®Tesla Roadster¡¯ in 2006 and began production. In 2012, Model S, codenamed ¡®WhiteStar¡¯ during research and preliminary development was launched, giving Tesla a leading position in next generation automobile industry.

While other car manufacturers were presenting electric vehicles as ¡®environmentally friendly car¡¯ or ¡®city car¡¯ rather than touting them as the future mode of transportation, Tesla launched an electric vehicle that could drive like a high performance sports car, with electric range of over 400km and capable of seating 7 passengers. Tesla served as a catalyst and positive example to other automakers.

Will the transition toward a sustainable EV market alter the car landscape?



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