E-cars stay in the slow lane
Start the electric car revolution without me
- Dateline
- 21 October 2026
Yes, I know. When Tesla stock shot up six years ago, making Elon Musk the world’s richest person, we all thought the market was prescient, and that the age of cyber trucking had finally arrived. Electric cars were going to be the next big thing, and soon!
Well, it turns out that the stock market has very little to do with reality, and is mainly driven by speculation. Sure, electric vehicle innovation is proceeding in leaps and bounds, and the latest battery tech is awesome, and there are more e-car companies than you can shake a fist at.
But it’s still not mainstream. Dozens of auto companies are phasing out gas burners and some have abandoned combustion engines all together, but the market majority still wants something affordable that fills up quickly and goes the distance.
Let’s be fair; there are some cities and smaller countries where electric cars and hybrids are edging out petrol and diesel versions, mainly because of government incentives and carbon taxes. But globally, that’s still a small percentage of autos on the roads. Despite cheaper ‘Chinatron’ models, your average Joe sees a battery car as a luxury alternative.
If you’re a two or three car household, you’re more likely to go electric for at least one of them. But if you can’t afford a fast charger, live out of town, or need a daily drive that’s always tanked up, chances are you’re like me – driving a vehicle that still has an exhaust.
Don’t get me wrong; electric cars are the future. When charging networks are everywhere, and it only takes a few minutes to top up the juice at home, everyone will love the convenience and low maintenance of an e-car. But in the meantime, they can start the revolution without me!
Links to related stories
- Automakers may have completely overestimated how many people want electric cars – Quartz, 25 January 2019
- Reasons that people ditch electric vehicles show 'revolution' will be slow and rocky – Tech Xplore, 7 October 2021
- Buying an EV in China Is Easy. Charging It Is a Different Story – Bloomberg, 18 October 2021
- World's fastest EV charger adds 100 km of range in 3 minutes – New Atlas, 4 October 2021
- Mindbullet: Electric cars and trucks are here to stay (Dateline: 15 May 2030)
- Mindbullet: Who killed the electric car? (Dateline: 8 July 2014)
Warning: Hazardous thinking at work
Despite appearances to the contrary, Futureworld cannot and does not predict the future. Our Mindbullets scenarios are fictitious and designed purely to explore possible futures, challenge and stimulate strategic thinking. Use these at your own risk. Any reference to actual people, entities or events is entirely allegorical. Copyright Futureworld International Limited. Reproduction or distribution permitted only with recognition of Copyright and the inclusion of this disclaimer.