Join 2014
Terra Motors Corporation Director and CTO
Masanori Takahashi
After Graduated from Shibaura Institute of Technology , Joined Honda Motor in 2011. Joined Terra Motors in 2014 and in charge of field research and development of battery and charger for EV/3W first. Come to India in 2015, responsible for not only launching EV/3W , set up factory but also development, quality, production, after-service management. The model which is led by him became a large hit in Indian market, and it contribute 10 times sales number compare with previous year in 2017. Appointed to CTO in 2018 and appointed to Director in 2019.
The reason for joining Terra Motors
I want to be a part of innovative to change the history
Now days , automotive industry is towards for EV. I also want to be part of this big change. This is my dream since my school days. My DREAM is making EV which everybody can get it and which is loved by all over the world people. I joined Honda in order to realize my DREAM after graduated. However, I was assigned to engine production line and I have been working on it for several years, however my dream has not changed. Fortunately I met Terra Motors and I was impressed vision of Terra Motors, “Make the next Sony and Honda! ” . I decided to joined Terra Motors.
Sprit for work
Five important philosophy in my work
I have five important philosophy in my work.
1.Try first and form it anyway
2.Imitate good example first , and then arrange it
3.Every Challenge has failure and difficulty
4.Where there’s a will, there’s a way
5.National independence come from Individual Independence
Try first and form it anyway
It is not my way to think hard before doing something.It takes a lot of time and I will find out a lot of reasons why I can’t do it.The way I found it is good for doing new things through this work is to try first and form it even though it is not perfect. It is impossible to make perfect product from the beginning. But once we build up, we can find out better solution and way and we can find out new method while blushing up.And then product and project start moving forward little by little.This small step lead us to success gradually. Three is no short cut.
Imitate good example first , and then arrange it
Now days, you will find out the thing which is combined more than two existing products or concepts as a new concept of product.It is quite difficult to find out completely new concept product.For example , EV and drone, are replacing engine to electric motor from existing car and helicopter and changing control method.Today, Japan is well known as automotive industry country.However, Japan also did not have this position from the day one.Japanese people also imitated foreign cars and learned from them,Japan is very small land country. However, the car from foreign countries had quite big size of body and engine for Japan land. So Japanese people decided to make small body and engine car and then improve fuel efficiency,This becomes originality and style of Japanese car and Japanese automotive industry with long period.
As you can see, it is impossible to create originality from the day one.I believe that anything can be created by imitation at beginning stage. Through try and error with passion of break through, eventually it leads to originality and style.
Every Challenge has failure and difficulty
(I’m not a genius, so) My Experience taught and showed me that new things usually don’t work out well at initial stage. Tolerance for failure is quite big in this company and this culture and atmosphere help me to do a lot of challenges even though its fail many time.I have a confidence that I did a lot of mistake, also I faced a lot of failure and difficulties than other people. This make me and us quite strong. We do a lot of input when we do challenges, and then many time it become failure. However, again we do another try, and then new ideas and actions will lead break through, and then it lead business growth. Good point of this company is that everyone has this opportunity. And I believe that strength of this company is a group of individuals who have experience of a lot of difficulties and mistake.
Where there’s a will, there’s a way
It is a famous word, but this is one of my favorite word. Doing something new, it means no one has done before, so it is very clear there is no way. It’s like we need to cut grasses which are taller than us, and it’s hard to move ahead and we don’t know which way to go because we can not see which is correct way due to tall glasses.Usually new things and challenges do not goes well at initial stage. And we may feel the direction we go is not collect. However, passion and strong willness will lead us the direction to where you want to go. I have come to know to create new way is only come with a strong will and continuous challenges till we can create a way. This is my important philosophy which I have learnt.
National independence come from Individual Independence
This is famous words from Fukuzawa Yukichi. I learned it through Clouds Above The Hill which is famous story about japan history. At that time of main industry of Japan was only agriculture and silk. Japan was very behind compare with western countries. One of the main character in this story, Yoshifuru Akiyama, used to tell his younger brother, Saneyuki Akiyama, “In order to make modern nation of Japan which everyone in the world recognizes, each and every one need to study and work hard, and need to become fully qualified. I believe that startup company like us is also the same. The growth of organization is only based on individual growth, ownership. Especially those who lead the team need to take initiative and take the responsibility with action and result, and never giving up until it success. Achieving such “individual independence” will lead to “independence of organization”.
6:30 | Wake up |
7:30 | Email check/Project progress check /Todo summary for a day |
9:00 | Meeting with development team |
10:00 | Check the progress and discussion at work shop |
12:00 | Lunch |
13:00 | Conference call with Chinese manufacturing team |
14:00 | Internal meeting about new products |
15:00 | Market Product Feedback Discussion (Internal) |
16:00 | Meeting with suppliers |
17:00 | Leave the office and move to coffee shop |
17:30 | Study to get knowledge for new area |
21:00 | Return home |
23:00 | Go to bed |
2021 EV Expo in INDIA | CTO Message, Masanori Takahashi