Here's how you can effectively evaluate different strategic options in automotive manufacturing.

Understand how the economy effect these decisions and how it effects the various levels of customers demands with in it. Example EV cars are not affordable given price plus the additional financing cost the consumer must absorb (interest rates, maintenance costs rising due to supply chain driving prices up). Understanding this will help with timing on a high IRAD investment for your company….and realization of revenue do to timing of market acceptance is key.

Trends are a single element in the process of strategic planning. Trends are a general term, but, your market is likely broken into specific segments and each segment has different buying behaviors which may or may not be influenced by a trend or set of economic changes. Each segment responds to market shift differently and in different times. For example, luxury vehicle buyers may respond differently to a trend versus an economy buyer. You will find buying segments respond independently to market trends, competitive cycles, economic cycles and not without mention internal factors such, tooling cycles, budget forecasts, design cycles, etc.

Positioning of EV charging stations to either match the electricity grid connection’s availability or embrace technology that allows off grid charging but still can power fast EV charging. Example being H2 fuel cells.

Make sure you are collecting true value. This is what the customer is willing to pay against the next best alternative. Remember that some technology and luxury items are not all additive and do not independently affect value. Often times they actually act as substitutes to other value drives.

Market need is highly subjective, as the market is driven differently by high-end buyer versus economy buyers. High-end buyers can be influenced by 'wants' as much as 'needs' where economy buyers are much more influenced by 'actual need'. Price-point drives these customer decisions. Translating wants and needs into market 'useful' projections requires complex customer study, surveys focus groups, etc. This is then influences internal design and manufacturing affordability and design constrains and ultimately price points and customer demand strata.

This is where it can all fall apart or come together. Numerous departments, marketing, engineering, manufacturing, supply chain, quality, etc. all must join together with honesty and put it on the line for management. Generally it is not pretty, as tough decisions and numerous iterations, various options and risks are considered and accounted for. One major-miss can destroy the financial model and it can be months or years later when it realized when sunk costs are unrecoverable and off-ramps are behind the point in time. Or honesty paid off and the business flourishes.

Once the Strategy the company will follow is chosen. Remember you now need to sell it internally to get traction and get moving. The development staff and support staffs did not do all of the work you did, they do not know you looked at everything and ruled a lot out. Build for them a short narrative as if you consulted them, tell them what you looked at and ruled out. Then give them a vision of where you are taking them. Paint a picture of the future plan, give them the WIIFM, value to them and company and steps to get underway. You have to now get the company moving, motivated and sold on your strategy…

At the end of all the research, analysis, spreadsheets, and test beta tests, someone has to make the call on the strategic path forward. The decision is almost always made by a small subset of the most influential people in the company. And it’s almost always made in a manner that covers those individuals rear-ends. Are there examples of rogue leaders making unilateral strategy decisions that turn out to be wildly successful? Sure. But most are made by committee. If your in that situation, look towards the path of least resistance. Seek to achieve smalls wins early and often. Taking the path of least resistance builds believers in the strategy. The more believers you have the more likely they will push through barriers and succeed.