The major manufacturers still might catch up - once they really start caring. I agree with the posters elsewhere in the thread that predict the fossil fuel industries will collapse rapidly, rather than gradually - and the way I see it, major car manufacturers are still mostly trying to extract as much value
now as possible from the ICE market.
But once the floor falls off? They won't go gentle into that good night. I expect a wave of bailouts, consolidation and rapid retooling (and playing every dirty trick in the MBA book there is). I wouldn't discount the possibility that some of the survivors will have enough infrastructure and engineering competence remaining to quickly become a serious competitor for Tesla. In parallel, Tesla itself may fall prey to one of many ways companies decay over time. And then, of course, there's China.
But all in all, as long as Tesla's current performance pushes EVs over the threshold of market acceptability (which I believe it did a few years ago) and gives it some serious momentum, it's "mission fucking accomplished", regardless of who's the market leader in 10 or 20 years.
But once the floor falls off? They won't go gentle into that good night. I expect a wave of bailouts, consolidation and rapid retooling (and playing every dirty trick in the MBA book there is). I wouldn't discount the possibility that some of the survivors will have enough infrastructure and engineering competence remaining to quickly become a serious competitor for Tesla. In parallel, Tesla itself may fall prey to one of many ways companies decay over time. And then, of course, there's China.
But all in all, as long as Tesla's current performance pushes EVs over the threshold of market acceptability (which I believe it did a few years ago) and gives it some serious momentum, it's "mission fucking accomplished", regardless of who's the market leader in 10 or 20 years.