Consider a rise in the supply of cars due to a new robot which is able to produce car frames more quickly and at lower cost, thus lowering the cost of production of cars. This is represented in Figure 2.9 by the rightward shift of the supply curve from SS0 to SSstep one.
At the prevailing price P0, quantity supplied (Q’) exceeds quantity demanded (Q0). 0Q’. producers lower prices to sell off excess cars, causing downward pressure on price. Price falls until the surplus is eliminated, and this occurs at P1, with quantity demanded now equal to quantity supplied at Q1. (more…)