The development of electric vehicles by automakers — and their adoption by consumers — has tremendous momentum globally, with many automotive manufacturers pledging to cut gasoline-powered vehicles out of the mix within the next 10 years. That’s ostensibly good news for the planet, as EVs don’t pump toxic fumes into the built environment and, if they can be powered by renewable energy sources, contribute to a greener, cooler world. There have been some hiccups in EV uptake.
This chapter provides a full history of the electric vehicle (EV), an exploration of different vehicle drivetrains, and where and how public transit has been adopted, and some of the challenges its faced.