Great Race, the : the Global Quest for the Car of the Future

__The Great Race__ recounts the story of a century-long battle between automakers for market share, profit, and technological dominance—and a race to build the car of the future.The world’s great manufacturing juggernaut—the $2 trillion automotive industry—is in the throes of a revolution. Its future will include cars Henry Ford and Karl Benz could scarcely have imagined. They will drive themselves, won’t consume oil, and will come in radical shapes and sizes. But the path to that future is fraught. The top contenders are two traditional manufacturing giants, the United States and Japan, and a newcomer, China. Team America has a powerful and little known weapon in its arsenal: a small group of technology buffs and regulators from California. The story of why and how these men and women could shape the future—how you move, how you work, how you live on earth—is an unexpected tale filled with unforgettable characters: a scorned chemistry professor, a South African visionary who went for broke, an ambitious Chinese expat, a quixotic Japanese nuclear engineer, and a string of billion-dollar wagers by governments and corporations. Tillemann’s account is incisive and riveting. It explains how America bounced back in this global contest and what it will take to command the industrial future "The global competition to dominate the world's largest manufacturing industry - the $2 trillion automotive sector - has set off a high stakes race for money, power, and the car of tomorrow. And America has a secret weapon. Begun in 1896 by Henry Ford, the Great Race has been a century-long battle for market share, profit, and technological dominance in the international automobile industry. Today that twentieth century behemoth is in the throes of a final revolution. Its future will include cars Ford would scarcely recognize. They will drive themselves, won't consume oil, and will come in radical new shapes and sizes. It is a story of American resurgence. Over half a century, America dominated the contests for mass production, weaponization, and exports. But starting in the 1970s America's fortunes began to decline. After a close brush with extinction, America's auto giants are again in fighting form. This battle among industrial superpowers has been defined by audacious upstarts, visionaries, corporate titans, engineers, politicians, and luck - both good and bad. Today the hottest action is in the world's three largest economies, China, Japan, and America. Team America has a surprising secret to success: a small group of technology activists from the State of California. The story of why and how these men and women were able to shape the future of the world's largest manufacturing industry is one of the century's greatest, most illuminating, and most unexpected tales of strategy, markets, and innovation. Driving innovation is a bare-knuckled fight among nations for the commanding heights of the global economy. Money, power, and the planet's future hang in the balance as corporations and countries struggle amidst the galloping pace of change. Tillemann's breathtaking account explains just how America bounced back in this global contest and what it will take to command the industrial future."--Publisher's description The global competition to dominate the world's largest manufacturing industry--the $3 trillion automotive sector--has set off a high stakes race for money, power, and the car of tomorrow. And America has a secret weapon. Begun in 1896 by Henry Ford, the Great Race has been a century-long battle for market share, profit, and technological dominance in the international automobile industry. Today that twentieth century behemoth is in the throes of a final revolution. Its future will include cars Ford would scarcely recognize. They will drive themselves, won't consume oil, and will come in radical new shapes and sizes. It is a story of American resurgence. Over half a century, America dominated the contests for mass production, weaponization, and exports. But starting in the 1970s America's fortunes began to decline. After a close brush with extinction, America's auto giants are again in fighting form. This battle among industrial superpowers has been defined by audacious upstarts, visionaries, corporate titans, engineers, politicians, and luck--both good and bad. Today the hottest action is in the world's three largest economies, China, Japan, and America. Team America has a surprising secret to success: a small group of technology activists from the State of California. The story of why and how these men and women were able to shape the future of the world's largest manufacturing industry is one of the century's greatest, most illuminating, and most unexpected tales of strategy, markets, and innovation. Driving Innovation is a bare-knuckled fight among nations for the commanding heights of the global economy. Money, power, and the planet's future hang in the balance as corporations and countries struggle amidst the galloping pace of change. Tillemann's breathtaking account explains just how America bounced back in this global contest and what it will take to command the industrial future The Great Race recounts the exciting story of a century-long battle among automakers for market share, profit, and technological dominance—and the thrilling race to build the car of the future. The world's great manufacturing juggernaut—the $3 trillion automotive industry—is in the throes of a revolution. Its future will include cars Henry Ford and Karl Benz could scarcely imagine. They will drive themselves, won't consume oil, and will come in radical shapes and sizes. But the path to that future is fraught. The top contenders are two traditional manufacturing giants, the US and Japan, and a newcomer, China. Team America has a powerful and little-known weapon in its arsenal: a small group of technology buffs and regulators from California. The story of why and how these men and women could shape the future—how you move, how you work, how you live on Earth—is an unexpected tale filled with unforgettable characters: a scorned chemistry professor, a South African visionary who went for broke, an ambitious Chinese ex-pat, a quixotic Japanese nuclear engineer, and a string of billion-dollar wagers by governments and corporations. "To explain the scramble for the next-generation auto—and the roles played in that race by governments, auto makers, venture capitalists, environmentalists, and private inventors—comes Levi Tillemann's The Great Race ...Mr. Tillemann seems ideally cast to guide us through the big ideas percolating in the world's far-flung workshops and labs" ( The Wall Street Journal ). His account is incisive and riveting, explaining how America bounced back in this global contest and what it will take to command the industrial future. The Great Race recounts the story of a century-long battle between automakers for market share, profit, and technological dominance—and a race to build the car of the future.The world’s great manufacturing juggernaut—the 2 trillion dollar automotive industry—is in the throes of a revolution. Its future will include cars Henry Ford and Karl Benz could scarcely have imagined. They will drive themselves, won’t consume oil, and will come in radical shapes and sizes. But the path to that future is fraught. The top contenders are two traditional manufacturing giants, the United States and Japan, and a newcomer, China.Team America has a powerful and little known weapon in its arsenal: a small group of technology buffs and regulators from California. The story of why and how these men and women could shape the future—how you move, how you work, how you live on earth—is an unexpected tale filled with unforgettable characters: a scorned chemistry professor, a South African visionary who went for broke, an ambitious Chinese expat, a quixotic Japanese nuclear engineer, and a string of billion-dollar wagers by governments and corporations.Tillemann’s account is incisive and riveting. It explains how America bounced back in this global contest and what it will take to command the industrial future The Great Race recounts the story of a century-long battle between automakers for market share, profit, and technological dominance—and a race to build the car of the future. The world’s great manufacturing juggernaut—the $2 trillion automotive industry—is in the throes of a revolution. Its future will include cars Henry Ford and Karl Benz could scarcely have imagined. They will drive themselves, won’t consume oil, and will come in radical shapes and sizes. But the path to that future is fraught. The top contenders are two traditional manufacturing giants, the United States and Japan, and a newcomer, China. Team America has a powerful and little known weapon in its arsenal: a small group of technology buffs and regulators from California. The story of why and how these men and women could shape the future—how you move, how you work, how you live on earth—is an unexpected tale filled with unforgettable characters: a scorned chemistry professor, a South African visionary who went for broke, an ambitious Chinese expat, a quixotic Japanese nuclear engineer, and a string of billion-dollar wagers by governments and corporations. Tillemann’s account is incisive and riveting. It explains how America bounced back in this global contest and what it will take to command the industrial future The new emperor and Wan Gang's eco-wonderland California rules: how one state began a global technology revolution Japan's strategic capitalism The audacity of Honda Sudden impact CARB's long reach The electric car is dead, long live the electric car Catching China's eye Sea turtles, spaceships, and the hydrogen economy Crazy Anegawa I'll be back: California returns Challenging the big green monster "Scared shitless": America's industrial implosion Dark green: money, power, and the stimulus melee Cataclysm: the demons of Fukushima Lucky eights: China's Olympic scramble and economic noncrisis China's crisis of competence The great race Afterword: The last lap.