On Oct 12, 2013, at 5:22 AM, Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET> wrote:

"I believe there were only three manufacturers left at one time, but this
does not mean there are only three real battery types in the market. If a
company owns four others the sub-companies still have their own processes.

For example, at one time there were only four major tire manufacturers left
& all the brands were owned by one of the four companies. But the tires are
still made to their own specifications at their individual facilities."

Yes indeed....I know this example is not in the same ball park, let alone out
in left field, but Giant Bicycle Company, China, is just about the ONLY bike
mfg left in the world.....except some N. American mfg's, and other "boutique"
makers, yet if you ride any one of the dozens of different (dozens)  bikes,
you'll find they are VERY different in weight, ride quality, etc., because the
particular bike BRAND (Specialized, Trek, Fezzari, Niner, etc.) still do their
own design and research, with their own staff.

Giant owns the mine, the smelter, etc., so has the capability to make the 
particular tubes that the BRANDS request. In the case of Fezzari, they have
even designed and mfg. their own proprietary 3D printed inner mandrels for
the production of their carbon bikes, which is how they created such a different bike, 
from others creating carbon bikes.

A battery is a battery, but not just a battery....or tire.

bob