Tracy K. Price is founder & CEO of Qmerit, a leader in implementation solutions for EV charging and other electrification technologies.
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Americans purchased a record 1.2 million electric vehicles (EVs) in 2023. And global EV sales rocketed from about 1 million in 2017 to over 13 million in 2023. Despite such growth, much of the media’s EV narrative has turned decidedly negative since late 2023.
The headlines are ominous: Automakers have announced cutbacks in their EV production plans, and Toyota’s chairman Akio Toyoda has warned that battery EV sales will never exceed 30% of the total global market. On top of this, a 2023 Consumer Reports survey found that "on average, EVs from the past three model years had 79 percent more problems than conventional cars."
Meanwhile, too many U.S. consumers, according to surveys, remain resistant or uncertain toward EVs. They remain nervous about costs, the range of EVs, the reliability of public charging networks, and/or simply just afraid to abandon conventional cars.
Skepticism Surrounding New Innovations Echoes Through History
But we’ve seen this marketplace movie, so to speak, before. The viability of new technology for mass consumer and business adoption is often discounted or entirely dismissed in the early stages of its development and public use.
This is especially the case when a new technology threatens to replace the longstanding use of an existing technology. Too many vested interests in the old world order are uncomfortable with, or unwilling to accept, the potential disruption posed by the new one.
History, however, offers a reassuring narrative. It tells us that skepticism is a common companion on the journey toward widespread acceptance of groundbreaking technologies. In other words, negative perceptions about a sweeping new technology are often actually a positive leading indicator for its eventual widespread adoption.
Consider the sewing machine, once met with skepticism due to doubts about its practicality and affordability. Critics argued that hand-sewn garments would always prevail. Yet, the sewing machine revolutionized the textile industry, becoming a staple in households worldwide.
The steam engine confronted similar doubts. Pessimists questioned its safety and viability, fearing catastrophic accidents. However, the steam engine transformed transportation and manufacturing, ushering in the global efficiencies of the industrial revolution.
The internal combustion engine encountered resistance due to concerns about pollution and reliance on fossil fuels. Skeptics doubted its efficiency and sustainability, and embraced the perennial claim that the U.S. had hit "peak Oil." Nevertheless, it powered the new automotive industry, reshaping modern transportation systems.
The internet, arguably one of the world’s most transformative inventions, faced doubts about its security and relevance. Critics questioned its ability to reach the masses and feared its potential for misinformation. But it eventually revolutionized communication, commerce, and information dissemination.
Overcoming Hurdles In The Adoption Of New Technologies
Of course, the journey from skepticism to acceptance is usually not linear, instead characterized by incremental progress and paradigm shifts. It requires overcoming technological, societal and cultural barriers.
It also demands a high degree of patience—as the nature of new technology usually ensures that it will not be widely adopted without struggle. There are always bugs to remove from the system, i.e., software is never finished. And such seems to be the case with the EV market today.
The good news is that advances in battery technology are already extending the range of EVs, alleviating concerns about long-distance travel. Investments in charging infrastructure look to expand accessibility and ensure reliability, making EV ownership more convenient. And government incentives and emissions regulations can help over time to continue to incentivize the transition to electric mobility.
I believe that the many benefits of EVs will eventually outweigh any hurdles. From my experience as a leader in EV charging technology, some of these benefits include:
• Zero tailpipe emissions, leading to improved air quality in urban areas.
• A reduction in noise pollution.
• The ability to be charged using electricity from various sources, including renewable energy.
• Dual function as energy storage devices, helping integrate renewable energy sources into the grid by storing excess energy during peak production times.
• Job generation in the construction, maintenance and operation of charging stations.
• Catalyzing innovation in battery technology for other industries.
Insights From History
Lessons from history guide us toward several key insights:
1. Technological innovation is iterative, driven by continuous improvement and adaptation.
2. Societal acceptance depends on addressing practical concerns while highlighting the transformative potential of new technologies.
3. Proactive government intervention can accelerate adoption through incentives, regulations and infrastructure investment.
Given these lessons, we encourage leaders within the budding EV ecosystem—automakers, utilities, charging manufacturers, electricians and finance organizations—to come together to make it easy for consumers to purchase and use an electric vehicle. The growth of EVs could hinge on the ability of the ecosystem to offer a bundled solution in which buying the car automatically comes with easy access to charging solutions and even broader whole-home electrification systems that leverage the vehicle's full value as an energy producer.
If we leave it up to the consumer to navigate and pay for all of these pieces on a separate basis, then EVs and home electrification systems might forever remain more of a niche phenomenon embraced by car enthusiasts and those with a strong background in electrical complexities. Not to mention deeper pockets.
One way to lay the groundwork for bundled solutions is for the EV ecosystem to bring in the home-building industry as a new partner. Together, they could build model homes that show off the value of whole-home electrification to the public. Such homes would come equipped with an electric vehicle and a charging system in addition to solar panels, battery storage smart electrical panels and other components. Staging what the future of transportation and energy could look like and demonstrating the benefits could generate consumer excitement that compels various sectors to come together in creative ways on behalf of the buyer.
Government support and regulatory guidance are important, but can't on their own bring a new technology to market. Divisive politics and ideologies can even impinge on the evolution of new technologies. Ultimately, it’s the marketplace and the consumers and businesses who constitute it that call the shots.
Mass adoption of new technologies will always hinge on whether the market and the public at large can benefit from the new technologies. And I believe that augurs well for the eventual ubiquity of EV technology.
"History never repeats itself, but it does often rhyme," Mark Twain purportedly once observed. Notwithstanding today’s gloomy headlines, the rhymes of history seem to suggest a bright future for EVs.
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