So many discussions of the future of motoring end up in some committed IC car drivers swearing that 'they' would/could "never" move over to EVs for reasons including the following:
a) they are too expensive to buy
b) there aren't enough charging points
c) they take too long to charge
d) the cars have limited range
etc.
Currently, some or all of those aspects are valid when assessing the situation in 2021, (i.e. early days in the takeup of EVs). But it's the withdrawl (and eventual banning) of virtually all IC vehicles that will drive the transition away from travel being a major contributor to climate change and gross pollution. So looking at the aspects I've listed above:
a) EVs have been more expensive that IC vehicles because they are in many aspects new technology, not incrementally because
lithium batteries were first introduced in 1991 and have swept through every market that they were applied to
3-phase ac traction motors have been in use since the 1960s
power electronics making battery management and ac traction motors viable have been in use since the 1960s
GPS technology for navigation, road charging, etc., have been in use for commercial and domestic use since the eraly '90s
The main reson that EVs are more expensive is that they are new developments as a complete entity requiring new production lines and support networks which manufacturers are expecting returns on. The setup costs of IC vehicle infrastructure is no longer significantly impacting on the price of new vehicles. Manufacturing EVs is in production engineering terms cheaper than IC equivalents, which will reflect in their rapidly falling prices within the next 5 years.
b) Charging points will meet the increase in demand, - several EV manufacturers are joining consortiums that will roll out enough points to make selling new EVs commercially viable. Every government will also make sure that there isa little disincentive as possible to EV acceptance.
c) The cost of land and the potential to sell rapid charging in competition to home charging will make high power charging stations more profitable.
d) Usable range is gradually increasing into the 200+ mile zone. Will it go to 400+ miles without a step function in battery technology, who knows, but meantime, those who have been doing 6 hour non-stop drives to the tip of Cornwall will need to acknowledge that there is a safety issue with such long journeys, and with road use being charged, it is likely that there will be mechanisms to determine irresponsible habits in the event of an incident or even prosecution for a driving offence.
For those that can't/won't accept or afford driving in the post IC era, there will be enhanced public transport, not based on the hotch potch that we have now. Public funding of good public transport will be the carrot that can offset the stick of driving persistent polluters from the transport system.