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21% of the Europeans Would Buy an Apple Electric Car

Although it's too early to forecast the electric vehicles' era, more and more automakers are investing important amounts of money in electric-drive technology. As if this wasn't enough, companies like Apple might provide the design for the future electric vehicles.

The decision is not a rushed one as complex market studies  show that people are ready for the new electric trend. A recent article on Business Week presents a study made by consultant company Bain & Co. The study proves that demand for electric vehicles is the highest among people who already own luxury cars because they have the money and the desire to buy an electric vehicle as they are concerned about the environment.

“They are willing to pay a premium but also care about the environment and want to make a statement about the environment,” says Gregor Matthies, a Munich-based partner at Bain who specializes in the auto industry.

As a matter of fact, the Bain survey asked people whether they would buy an electric car from Apple. 21 percent said they would, while 48 percent said they would buy an electric car from BMW. These results prove at least two things.

On the one hand, Apple's score is quite surprising since we're speaking about a company that has never made a motor vehicle. On the other hand, people would like to buy electric vehicles produced by luxury brands such as BMW, Mercedes or Lexus.

However, if all car manufacturers follow the electric trend, then the competition will be extremely high among them so, there must be a key-feature to make the difference. Apparently, the design might be the key competitive factor and that may lead to possible partnerships between car makers and companies known for superb product design.

In an electric future, automakers might have to face the competition coming from utilities companies who might subsidize the purchase price of an electric car the way wireless network operators subsidize the price of a new mobile phone. If that happens, partnerships are vital as automakers might lose some control over marketing and design. New entrants on the market such as BYD, a battery maker that has penetrated into the car business could also threaten the established position of auto companies.
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