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
13 March 2026
Brussels is again weighing a cap on gas prices amid the Hormuz crisis, but the measure could backfire by deterring the LNG cargoes Europe urgently needs
12 March 2026
Emergency oil stocks provide a last line of defence to oil market shocks, so the IEA’s unprecedented 400m bl release represents something of a double-edged sword
12 March 2026
LPG could rapidly expand access to clean cooking across Africa and prevent hundreds of thousands of deaths from indoor air pollution each year, but infrastructure shortages and regulatory barriers are slowing investment and market growth
11 March 2026
Missiles over Dubai and disruption in Hormuz are testing the emirate’s reputation—and shaking the energy hub at the centre of the Gulf economy
