We know there will be no lines for clean electrons. Electricity is a commodity that doesn’t command a price premium, just because it’s produced differently. But if you ship it differently, say in the form of a battery, it will sell for more.
There are indeed lines for iPhones, and even ordinary cell phones command a premium: We give up land lines to pay three times as much for (spotty) cell phone service, because the mobility is that much more convenient.
For some, the shift from century-old internal combustion engines to electric vehicles may be just that kind of change. EVs could offer an entirely different value proposition that goes much beyond appealing to the eco-conscious. Smooth battery swaps should beat smelly gas stations any day.
Perhaps making EVs as cheap as standard clunkers isn’t the ultimate goal. Just make them appealing enough.
