The future is supercharged

Electric vehicles are increasingly central to government policy and car manufacturers' plans alike. What does their uptake mean for the energy sector?

Oil and its products have given the world more than a century of easy mobility. Gasoline and diesel keep ambulances running and planes need jet fuel. They enable global trade, on land and at sea, and create wealth. But its dominant role in global transport—like its function in power generation in previous decades—is coming under threat, starting with cars. The UK added its weight to the growing movement towards electric vehicles, declaring in July this year that sales of petrol and diesel vehicles will be banned after 2040. That decision followed France's announcement weeks earlier to also end sales of petrol and diesel vehicles by the same year. Car manufacturer Volvo has pledged to make on