Government transportation agencies spent decades preparing for the arrival of connected-vehicle communications technology. But when segment leaders met last week, their concerns about the future were palpable.
Hybrids may be eminently practical, but they just aren’t perceived to be as cool or cutting-edge as electric vehicles.
While disruptive forces — new green-vehicle platforms, shifting demographics and nimble startups focused on the online experience — aren’t making money yet, marketers at traditional automakers are working to catch up.
The Volt’s failure to gain popularity with consumers is a lesson for automakers in the importance of marketing and advertising, in addition to good selling practices. GM was never able to clear up confusion about the groundbreaking technology behind the car, and output ended in February.
Nissan’s new North American chairman, Jose Luis Valls, believes Nissan must play to its natural global strength — the midsize pickup, referred to elsewhere in the world as a “one-ton pickup.”