[Dr. Sivana]

Electric cars were made a hundred years ago, but the battery chemistry just wasn’t there yet. They cost three times too much.

If that were the only issue, there still would have been an audience for them, especially since ICE engines also were not yet mature.

[Harmless Teddy Bear]

There were any number of problems with both Electric and Steam cars.

While the ICE was not perfect it was light years ahead of Electric and Steam, well steam had a major problem in that you had to start your engine a half hour before you could use it.

The people who were early adopters of technology are people who had to get somewhere quickly. Doctors, police, fire, military. Standing around waiting for the engine to build up a head of steam was not practical. You might as well stick to a horse.