I bet you asked yourself, What the heck is going on with electric vehicles (EVs)? Are they going to be a thing? Are they going to take over gas vehicles or not?

One of the arguments that’s often made by proponents of electric vehicles is that this is exactly like the switch over from horse and buggy to electric vehicles. In fact, this is a quote from the Rivian CEO, who makes these V trucks, which are actually pretty nice trucks. They’re pretty expensive, but they’re nice. He says that for people who are buying gas cars right now, it’s like building a horse barn in 1910. It makes sense, right? It seems like it’s logical.

In 1910, when automobiles were coming out in the late teens and 20s, the Model T, for example, was a great example. If you were putting your eggs in one basket of horse and buggy, maybe you were going to be behind the curve. There’s only one problem with this argument: it assumes that EVs are better than gas-powered cars.

Right back in the 1910s or 20s, it was obvious that an automobile, if you really looked at it, was better than a horse. It could go farther, it could be faster, and it could carry more people. It had natural advantages. Now, it took some time for people to realize that, and there was some pushback, like they don’t want these metal things on the road or they’re dangerous, but logically, at the end of the day, somebody who had a car, an automobile, somebody who had a horse, all things being equal, the person with the car, the automobile, could actually do more than the person with the horse.

Is that the same logic? Is that the same thing with EVs versus cars? That’s the question. Does it add to life? Does it improve life? Is it more desirable? That’s the question. I know you have an opinion about that; let us know in the comments.

On the other hand, there are people who say, “Look, the EV revolution is a done deal. It’s going to happen no matter what, and it’s going to bring prosperity for all.” Is that the reality?

On the other hand, there are people who say, “I don’t need it; I can’t use an electric vehicle. I drive too far; I need a truck that hauls stuff. If I use my heater in the winter, it’s going to burn out the battery.” There’s still a lot of uncertainty.

The fact that people aren’t rushing out to buy electric vehicles might kind of be in conflict with this statement. EVs are backing up new car dealers. Lots. Maybe there’s something else going on. Maybe they’re too expensive. Maybe the world’s not out yet. It will remain to be seen.

But if all you’re doing is looking at this argument like it’s the same as the horse and buggy in 1910, well, automobiles were an advantage over the horse and buggy. It’s still not completely agreed upon whether or not electric vehicles are an improvement on gasoline vehicles.

One area where there’s a lot of consensus is on EVs. Tesla’s manager thinks used cars are pivotal for EVs. Used EVs seem like they’re going to be an important part. They’re priced a lot lower. They haven’t gone up in price like gasoline cars, so that may be one area that kind of flips the script one way or another.

Are EVs Going To Win Over Gas Cars?