Co-evolutionary innovation and Business model transformation in the electric vehicle transition [before doctoral defense]

Kivonat, rövid leírás

The subject of the doctoral thesis is innovation, using the electric vehicle transition as an empirical setting to explore how innovation emerges and develops during sustainability transitions. Innovations are usually driven by entrepreneurs and firms (Aghion et al., 2015), but existing technologies, established infrastructures and incumbent business models lead to pollution-intensive trajectories (Lundvall, 2010). Societal demand for sustainability creates a central puzzle for strategic management: how can societal objectives be translated into institutional conditions to incentivise firms’ research and development towards sustainable solutions and commercialise offerings that users consider worthwhile adopting? The electric vehicle (EV) transition provides a compelling case to examine this question. Zero-emission mobility requires new technologies alongside decarbonised electricity production, charging infrastructure and adapted energy systems (Aishwarya et al., 2025). It also requires firms to reconsider established strategy to value creation, delivery and capture as electrification changes cost structures and creates new revenue opportunities through digital technologies (Bohnsack et al., 2014; Wesseling et al., 2020). The EV transition thus cannot be considered solely a firm driven technological innovation but rather a broader transformation shaped by regulatory actions, firm strategies and societal demand (Bahles & Cook, 2017; Hoogland & Hardman, 2025). This process makes the EV transition a textbook case of co-evolution theory (Lewin & Volberda, 1999; Rodrigues & Child, 2003) and an outstanding example of innovation driven by the co-evolution of institutions and firms.