R&D Strategies for New Automotive Technologies: Insights from Fuel Cells Patrick P. Steinemann International Motor Vehicle Program (IMVP) Massachusetts Institute of Technology November 14, 1999 View metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk brought to you by CORE provided by DSpace@MIT This study benefited from extensive discussion with many managers at DaimlerChrysler, Ford Motor, and Ballard Power Systems. I wish to thank these people for valuable comments, and my advisors, Prof. John Heywood and Dr. Frank Field, for thoughtful advice and guidance. The International Motor Vehicle Program at MIT is gratefully acknowledged for supporting this research. Several companies have changed names or were acquired by another company throughout the period studied in this report. The names of the companies mentioned in the text corresponds whenever possible to the time period referred to in the text, for example Daimler-Benz until May 1998, and DaimlerChrysler thereafter. Patrick P. Steinemann International Motor Vehicle Program (IMVP) Massachusetts Institute of Technology 77 Massachusetts Ave., Building E40-242A Cambridge, MA 02139, USA Email:
[email protected] 2 ABSTRACT This study analyzes how the automobile industry is pursuing the development of fuel cells as a new propulsion technology for automobiles. Fuel cells represent a fundamentally different powertrain technology that competes technically with the internal combustion engine, which has traditionally been a core competence of automobile manufacturers. The emergence of fuel cells provides a threat to automakers’ competence in internal combustion engines, but also presents an opportunity for establishing a competitive position and gaining competence in a new technology. The study gives insights into strategic issues that automakers face through fundamentally new technologies.