How activism matters for creating the electromobility 2.0 industry?

We are currently witnessing the re-introduction of EVs into the market, the increase in R&D expenditures by battery manufacturers, the emergence of new mobility players who do not belong to the traditional auto industry, as well as the activism of lobbyists defending the development of a clean, collaborative or smart mobility. All of this begs again the question: are EVs the signs of a new emerging industry? This research is founded on a review of existing literature on business strategy, so as to identify those elements which are necessary to enlarge firm boundaries in an emerging industry, namely those linked to reputation and activism to empower. Our paper then analyses two business cases: Tesla Motors and Better Place.