Ethan's Australian car-making model 'brilliant' - Motoring
A social analyst who advises car brands on the changing attitudes and moods of Australian consumers has praised aspiring automotive start-up Ethan Automotive’s flexible manufacturing model as “brilliant”. But David Chalke has also warned Ethan’s highest priority is to focus on who it is selling to and what it is selling to them. “But what I don’t see in the Ethan material is a vision of the car they actually want to build. Ethan is currently lobbying public and private sources for funding so it can design, engineer and manufacture a three-vehicle range from late 2018, a year after Holden and Toyota shut up shop. Ethan says it can build 30,000 cars per annum by 2022 and be profitable doing it, although the start-up cost is a hefty $1. 5 billion. “But who is going to buy these cars, how are those cars going to be better than a Camry, a Mazda6 or a CX-5. ” Chalke queried. “Ethan needs to have a clear understanding of who they are selling to and what they want, then go a step beyond that and give them something more and then developing the vehicle to meet that projected need,” he added. Chalke specialises in measuring the effects of cultural change on Australians’ attitudes and behaviours, and advises business on their impact on the formulation of strategy. Source: www.motoring.com.au
