Is Elon Musk About To Blow The Roof Off The Electric Car Industry? - The Car Connection
Not only are they expensive -- considerably more expensive than comparably equipped gas-powered vehicles -- but shoppers also worry about battery range and about the time those batteries need for recharging. According to our colleagues at Green Car Reports , Tesla CEO and entrepreneurial wunderkind Elon Musk is planning to address one of those concerns in a major way. And it could give the entire electric car industry a much-needed spark. He understands the value of intellectual property and the importance of protecting it. However, patent law -- like, say, franchise law -- can sometimes hurt the very industries it's meant to help, leaving start-ups stranded in the status quo. One of Tesla's most important patents involves its well-known Superchargers , which provide enough juice for an electric car to travel 170 miles after 30 minutes of charging. Currently, Superchargers only work on Tesla vehicles. Citing an article in Engadget , Green Car Reports notes that Musk has been toying with the idea of "doing something controversial". Over the weekend, the nature of that "something" became clear: Musk wants to share the specifications for his Supercharger system. That would allow other automakers to benefit from Tesla's technological success and, ultimately, encourage those automakers to design vehicles that can use the Supercharger network. Elon Musk is a very wealthy man. Source: www.thecarconnection.com
