The sluggish EV revolution
The switch to EVs will be slower than widely predicted—unless China takes the plunge
Electric vehicles (EV) are surging" is a headline we've often read over the past year. It seems inevitable: the electric-car revolution is around the corner and the end of growing oil demand is nigh. Yet global oil consumption continues to rise, predominantly driven by low oil prices and strong demand from the transportation sector. None of the fundamental shortcomings of electric cars has been eliminated over the past year: there hasn't been a breakthrough in battery technology and it's unlikely we'll see one in 2018. EVs are still heavily reliant on government subsidies and will remain so. Even with today's low number of electric cars, the inadequacy of charging infrastructure is already a
Also in this section
5 June 2025
The new government is talking and thinking big, and there are credible reasons to believe it is more than just grandstanding
5 June 2025
Russia has ample spare gas, and Iran needs it, but sanctions and pricing pose steep hurdles.
5 June 2025
EU half measures over storage regulation, geopolitical risks to ending Russian gas, power outage questions and China’s LNG resale leverage make for a challenging path ahead.
3 June 2025
China will play a huge role in driving gas demand, with its Qatar partnership crucial to this growth amid global structural challenges
