I spent a lot of time collecting EV data for sharing with you, my readers. But as happens with a new technology as it matures, the data have improved, and I'd like to share with you this excellent site which shows the percentage of car sales that are pure EVs, plug-in hybrids, hybrids and plain fossil-fuelled vehicles. The website is maintained by Robbie Andrew, who is with CICERO — Center for International Climate Research — which is based in Oslo.
The contrast couldn't be greater between China and the US and Japan. China, moving steadily and inexorably to 100% EVs, and already exceeding 60% EVs+PHEVs; the US, which *invented* the EV, at a paltry 5%; and Japan even less. Japan *invented* the hybrid, with the ground-breaking Toyota Prius, but refused to push the plug-in hybrid. To develop production and a market for plug-in hybrids after the creation of the Prius, would have been easy. From there to full EVs would also have been an easy and logical step. But they flubbed it.
Two huge technological advances which should have led the US and Japan to go on dominating global car making. Two great automotive giants of 30 years ago ceding the global market for EVs, and therefore all cars, to China, simply because they refused to accept the reality of, and the opportunity provided by, EVs. And now it's prolly too late to catch up. How stupid. How sad.
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