Originally Posted By: Trav
With battery and electricity generation technology moving at the rate it is why not? The electric motor has it all over internal combustion engines in every way.
I remember the days when many American car buyers wouldn't buy anything with less than 350 CI and declared anything with 4 or 6 cyl as gutless wonders, that changed in a very short time.
Once consumers get use to instant acceleration, no pollution from a tail pipe, no noise, no vibration, an ultra quiet cabin no OCI and other common maintenance items they will quickly abandon the internal combustion engine. As long as the range is good and recharge times are short I for one am all in.
Recent article placed annual Tesla maintenance at $2000. Probably would be lower for a mass produced EV.
http://www.carscoops.com/2017/12/analyst-claims-it-costs-over-2000-year.html
The big watch-out is that our electrical grid cannot handle mass vehicle charging.
Oil filed development, refineries, pipelines, fuel stations were funded by drivers paying cost of fuel, which funded the infrastructure builds. The public contribution was allowed fuel companies to deduct expenses against their income, just like any other corporation.
Electrical grid is a whole other problem. I can see the government having to step in, but with public and consumer finances being in terrible shape, I don't see the finance part.
Unless the gov't puts their thumb on the free market scale, which is entirely possible.
Note: I am also assuming battery technology will improve to the point it is close to gasoline in convenience and pricing when used in an auto environment. Admittedly a big assumption.