“Fifty years ago Edwin Mansfield used economics and econometrics with in-depth case studies to transform our understanding of innovation. Since 1972, federal agencies have invested over a billion dollars in the battery technologies important to electric vehicles. Link, O’Connor, and Scott use the ‘Mansfield’ strategy to take readers ‘under the hood’ and ask if these programs were in the public interest. Their book is a great read!”

V. Kerry Smith, Arizona State
University, USA

“The authors address an important issue which is high on the policy agenda in many industrialized countries. Even using conservative estimates about social benefits of public support for new technologies, they find substantial ones. In the vein of discussing public/private partnerships in science and technology, this study is a must-read for policy makers and research funders in the field.”

Wolfgang Polt, Institute for Economic and
Innovation Research, Austria

“This tome presents a thorough empirical economic evaluation of the social benefits attributable to federal R&D investment in vehicle battery technology in the United States. Link, O’Connor, and Scott have produced one of the best such appraisals available. A must-read.”

Nicholas S. Vonortas, George Washington
University, USA