Racing towards cars

    Infrastructure: More than $55 billion is needed to install charging facilities worldwide. And, the ROI is likely to be low, with payback taking six to seven years. Who will make this essential investment—private investors, utilities, oil companies, governments, or some combination—is still unclear.

    End to End Adoption: Widespread adoption of electric vehicles is about more than just cars. Success requires collaboration across the entire value chain, among players that traditionally don’t play together: utilities, battery makers, automakers, and local governments. A seamless ecosystem is needed for easy fueling and servicing. Technical integration—plugging the car into an electricity grid and managing the load—is only part of the story. Harmony among regulators and industry will be crucial to encouraging participation in the electric market, and to have a market that transcends city, state and even national borders.

    The tipping point gets closer every day. Given the number and diversity of the players involved, the consequences of success or failure go far beyond transportation. Electrification could spur the development of entire clean tech sector. But, getting there requires that companies and municipalities across the ecosystem work together. Winning the electrification race will not be a solo effort.