The Great Electric Hangover
Let’s be honest, the hype was getting a little out of hand. For a few years there, you’d think petrol engines were about to go the way of the dodo, replaced overnight by silent, battery-powered chariots. The reality, as Ford has just expensively confirmed, is far more complicated. General Motors is quietly delaying its electric models, and even the high priests of EV at Tesla are toning down their growth forecasts.
Why the sudden change of heart? It’s simple, really. Most people don’t live in a slick corporate presentation. They live in the real world, a world with patchy charging infrastructure, lingering worries about how far you can actually drive, and a healthy scepticism about new technology. The industry put the cart before the horse, and now it’s waking up with a rather nasty financial hangover. The interesting question for investors, then, is what comes next?