More than 70 years ago, during the first electric car boom in the U.S., a well known company emerged from the city of Detroit. The company, called Detroit Electric went out of business near the onset of the Great Depression, but their name live on today.
The name, now owned by a Dutch company has been changed slightly to Detroit Electric Holdings Ltd, but its connection to the city of Detroit is non-existent. The new company carries on the old companies logo and naming rights, but the similarity ends there.
The Dutch company Detroit Electric Holdings has partnered with a Malaysian company Proton Holdings to begin producing electric vehicles. Their first vehicle has been revealed and will hit the U.S. market soon.
What's in a name? A lot if you ask industry analysts. According to industry experts, choosing a name with a tie to the Motor City is a strong marketing move. It may lead buyers to initially believe that the vehicles have some tie to the U.S. city and entice buyers to purchase their vehicles.
On the flip side, some acute buyers may be detracted from the brand for choosing a name from a city in which they have no connections with.
According to Detroit Electric Holdings CEO Albert Lam, "Having this name constantly reminds us of the pioneers in Detroit who started the car industry. This is the same entrepreneurship. We are moving the industry ahead."
The name Detroit is synonymous with cars and likely always will be. As a native of this area, it is satisfying to see other companies recognize Detroit for the great automotive city that it is, but seeing a Dutch company use an old time Detroit name is hard to approve of.
Detroit Electric Holdings has revived the name of a company around over a century ago, utilizing original logos, and playing off the classic Detroit car heritage.
They are currently seeking U.S. trademark rights and hope to release several EVs into our market in the next few years.
Source: Automotive News
