I’m curious what the consensus is here on FR about electric cars. Will they largely replace the combustion vehicles say in the next 50 years? The answer to that is very important. It means oil companies will have to start making a transition out of fossil fuels.
You ask a good question that is difficult to answer.
It really depends on what government mandates are over that time.
Physics says petroleum fuels are tough to beat, but governments are mandating the move to electric.
China is moving to electric vehicles (powered by hundreds of new coal power plants) and conserving petroleum for their military.
The Biden administration is pushing hard for evs, but that could go out the window in 2025.
My answer is yes but all of us will regret the hell out of it.........
We're not replacing a horse and buggy, we're replacing a 100% efficient mode of transportation that comes with an unlimited supply of energy with an electronic device that will cause more damage to the environment and the economy than oil and gas has ever been accused to be.
Not going to happen. Our civilization is hugely dependent on oil. Many thousands of products made from oil. Can green energy sources create plastics, asphalt, tar, lubricants, paints, solvents, glues, textiles, bags, cosmetics, fertilizers, etc.? The production of EV's, solar panels, windmills etc. are heavily dependent on products created from oil. Oil companies do not need to transition out of oil/fossil fuels. A fraction of oil is refined into gasoline, and even that is necessary for the military and for heavy industry machines.
President Trump in 2024 then President DeSantis, the electric car mandates will have been removed. Plus we will again be energy independent. Gas prices will be way way down. The economy will be doing great.