“U.S., like China, may end up with massive EV graveyards –Thousands of late-model electric vehicles abandoned and gathering dust”
Imagine that electric vehicles had become popular a century ago. Imagine that the developed world was dotted with charging stations. Imagine that electricity was so expensive that only the rich could afford to light and heat their homes, while the rest of us suffered from Energiearmut (energy poverty).
Now imagine that at the end of the 20th century, the internal combustion engine was invented. Cars to longer had to lug around 1000-pound-plus batteries, that 1) still weighed 1000 pounds when totally discharged, 2) required huge, environment-destroying mines to produce, and 3) had no good way to be disposed of when discarded. Imagine that cars could now go 300 miles before refueling in 10 minutes, not 150 miles before recharging in 10 hours.
Gasoline and diesel engines would be hailed as environmental and economic strokes of genius that would transform life. Electric vehicles, with the exception of small urban transporters, would be seen as fads dreamed up to make rich dilettantes feel self-righteous while showing off their wealth. Electric vehicles would be seen as requiring cheap electric power, hopefully from nuclear fusion, and environmentally friendly batteries, yet to be invented – that is, science fiction.
Just a thought.
