In an uncertain economic context, the electric vehicle represents a new field of innovation along with the development of business models based on a shared use, but also the increasing importance of technologies related to smart grids. Beyond the technological aspects, we aim to analyze the electric vehicle and its battery from an institutional perspective, which includes the relative complexity of property rights of these new models. To better illustrate these issues, a comparison is made between Better Place and Tesla Motors models that will allow us to draw several lessons from their respective strategies, particularly on innovation as a common good.