Problem as I see it, the US power grid is about 50 years away from supporting what people want to go to. energy is energy and it has to come from somewhere., there is no magic bunny. if you replace the KJoules of work a SI or CI engine produces, that is a TREMENDOUS amount - just do the math.
Every so many years I update and republish a 'thesis' I started back in the 90's on the real costs to replace just gasoline with renewable liquid fuels. I never covered the toxic effects of the excess production of NOx and O3 that using oxygenated fuels brings (all alcohol based fuels are oxygenated by nature) and how it would wipe out up to half the population, but rather from the side of how much farming landmass needs to be repurposed for renewables. suffice to say, Exx fuels are quickly running out of favor - there is no positive cost/benefit.
so on we go to alternate sources....fuel cells, batteries.
WE aint there yet. Ignore the 'it goes fast' part and ignore the fact that the part of the car that is NOT 'electric powertrain' can be as elegant as anything else. the electric powertrains, by comparison, are 1920's chevrolets in terms of derivable utility. the cheapest gasoline car can go NY->LA about a *day* faster than any EV, simply because of the range/charge time limitations.
Lets assume we solve that...lets assume we extend range to close to 400 miles per tank (a reasonable highway estimate for about anything) - with the AC on, at night, we got to get the 100% charge time down to 5 minutes instead of '45 minutes for 80%'
The fact still remains that as the US as a whole drop off of gas cars to EVs, the grid, which is becoming more and more unstable as 'green energy' is applied, has to absorb this load. This is the US, we drive a lot as a whole. You can convert the daily gas consumption into Joules and take 25% (a low number) efficiency to make it EV equivalent and quickly find, we do not have the US capacity now, by a long shot.
BUT! its not over. Part of this push is also to remove coal, oil, wood and NG/LPG from home heating and replace with electric. natural gas is the most efficient form of home heating. electric is the LEAST efficient. To change over all the houses as well, AND use solar water heating, would require nearly a tripling of current US generating capacity.
This aint gonna come from wind or solar - in its current form. So there is a lot of work to do. Unfortunately, those in charge of creating this, do not have any education or experience along these lines. So the hurdles we have are gonna get worse - first.
that all being said, even at my advanced age, I think a *differently* powered vehicle will be in my driveway if I live a full life. Just not now.
I would pay attention to MOXIE or however they are spelling on, on perseverance. the catalyst reaction to produce O2 from CO2 has earth bound implications. If they dont ignite the martian atmosphere, it could work here.
