Once serious critical mass begins with electric vehicle sales—how are hundreds of millions of people around the world going to get rid of their internal combustion engine vehicles when no one wants to buy them anymore?
In: Economics
You would need to specify what critical mass means. For most people, it means when using an electric vehicle over its lifespan (10+ years) is cheaper than an old Honda civic, for example. Currently when I take my old Honda civic to a mechanic, every single one is envious and wishes they had one. Because maintenance is simple and parts are cheap.
The way electric vehicles are made now has very proprietary parts and maintenance which leads to much more expensive upkeep if anything goes wrong. Theoretically there’s less that breaks without an internal combustion engine and its high heat, but reality can be different.
I dated someone who had a Volkswagen beetle. She ran over a big puddle on the highway and her headlights went out. Because of the electronics in the headlights and their proprietary make, it cost $2000 *per headlight* to replace them. Unfortunately such stories don’t get into the media much.
Our market easily generates rent seeking behaviors from companies who know when there’s no alternative to parts. That’s why there is still a huge market for old combustion vehicles. I agree EVs are theoretically more efficient and better for the environment, at least if damage from lithium mining and other necessary ingredients are minimized. But we need a true cost/benefit analysis for the average person and their needs, especially in cold environments where batteries behave differently
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