Electric Mobility and Market Readiness: Why Good Technology Alone Isn't Enough
October 14, 2026
The car charges while we shop. What is increasingly part of everyday life today was not always a given. After all, electric vehicles have been around for over 100 years. Why did they only achieve a breakthrough in recent years? And what can companies learn from this for their own innovations? In this interview, Simone Hirschmann from Bayern Innovativ explains why high-performance batteries alone aren’t enough, what role infrastructure and acceptance play, and how companies can tell if their innovation is ready for the market.
Interview with Simone Hirschmann, Project Manager for the Mobility Innovation Network, Bayern Innovativ GmbH
Electric mobility is not a new invention. Why has the technology only gained a foothold in the market in recent years?
Simone Hirschmann: Electric mobility is a good example of how technological maturity alone does not necessarily mean market readiness. Electric vehicles have been around for many decades. For a long time, however, key prerequisites for broad market acceptance were missing. It was only through more powerful and cost-effective batteries, the continuous expansion of the charging infrastructure, and favorable policy frameworks and incentive programs that a comprehensive system emerged, making electric mobility attractive to businesses and consumers alike. Promoting societal acceptance of electric mobility is also a key success factor and has therefore been a significant part of our work for many years. Market readiness often only emerges when technology, infrastructure, economic viability, and user needs come together.
What role does the charging infrastructure play in this?
Simone Hirschmann: A central role: Even the best vehicle technology can only gain widespread adoption if users trust it and can use it without any problems. A needs-based and reliable charging infrastructure is therefore an essential prerequisite for the success of electric mobility. This is precisely where the Bavarian funding program “Charging Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles in Bavaria” comes in. We support companies, municipalities, and other stakeholders in building expertise and putting solutions into practice. After all, market readiness means not only having an innovative product but also creating the necessary framework conditions for its use.
How important are innovations in battery technology?
Simone Hirschmann: Batteries play a key role in electric mobility. Advances in energy density, service life, safety, and cost have been instrumental in making electric vehicles suitable for everyday use and economically viable today. At the same time, the technology continues to evolve at a rapid pace. With our TechHUB Battery, we are creating a network where companies, research institutions, and other stakeholders can exchange knowledge, initiate collaborations, and drive new developments. In this way, we are making an important contribution to turning innovations into marketable applications more quickly.
What lessons can companies draw from the example of electric mobility for their own innovations?
Simone Hirschmann: The most important insight is that the path from technology to market readiness must be considered holistically. Many innovations fail not because of their technical quality, but because important components in the broader ecosystem are still missing. Companies should therefore consider early on what conditions their solution needs for successful market establishment: Is the necessary infrastructure in place? Have regulatory issues been resolved? Are there suitable partners and user acceptance? Networks and innovation platforms such as those offered by Bayern Innovativ help address these issues early on and accelerate the path to market.
"Charging Infrastructure for Electric Vehicles in Bavaria 2026–2029" Funding Program
When it comes to the mobility of tomorrow, the Free State of Bavaria generally takes a technology-neutral approach. However, electric mobility is the most advanced and shows the greatest promise for meeting climate protection goals. Therefore, the Free State supports the rollout of charging infrastructure as a crucial prerequisite for the success of electric vehicles in the mass market. Against this backdrop, the funding program launched in 2017 will continue as of January 1, 2026, under new funding guidelines.
The new funding guideline is deliberately designed to be flexible so that it can adapt to current needs and trends in electric mobility on a case-by-case basis. Consequently, the funding guideline allows for the installation of both publicly accessible and non-public charging points. To ensure a systematic and targeted expansion of Bavaria’s charging infrastructure, the specific funding framework conditions—including application deadlines, objectives, and the funding budget—will be defined in individual calls for proposals. Applications cannot be submitted outside of a call for proposals.