I wonder if there's a bit of a late mover advantage here. If Company A spends $10B on from 2010 to 2020, and $10B from 2020 to 2030 and Company B spends 0B from 2010 to 2020 and 20B from 2020 to 2030, how much can company B copy company A's homework?
One potential advantage Toyota might have is their use of modular platforms - TNGA-K is used for a sedan, minivan, suv and luxury car, e-TNGA will likely be a similar story.
> how much can company B copy company A's homework?
Patent lifespan is 14-20 years, depending on the type of patent, and which country issued it (there are probably outliers that have longer/shorter time-spans, though most countries now are unified). The question is there anything useful in patents that are expire, but if so there is copying about it.
Most car companies have weird cross licensing agreements (weird in part because there are anti-monopoly laws in place to work around) so to some extent they can.
> how much can company B copy company A's homework?
Not only this, but company B is buying fresh new machines that manufacturers have been competing to optimize for at least one tech-generation. They can build new factories optimized for 10x volume, which took the market years to reach and would have been insane ten years earlier.
They can skip compromises in products that were necessary due to immature tech.
Earlier-mover gave tesla brand recognition, but no other lock-in.
Yes, though my understanding is Toyota has been one of several mfgs particularly aggressive in going to modular with TNGA/going towards a modular and global architectures.
One potential advantage Toyota might have is their use of modular platforms - TNGA-K is used for a sedan, minivan, suv and luxury car, e-TNGA will likely be a similar story.