I put solar panels on my roof because I decided it was a financially good move. In my case relatively low risk (regulatory only really) 10% effective return.. Tax free. Sure I benefited from some government subsidies and incentives - perhaps lobbied for by mobs of greenies, I guess they achieved their goal. Solar PV costs are continuing to fall and as energy costs rise.. Will soon be at a point people will probably install them - free of government subsidies - to save cash, not the environment.
Likewise when a EV vehicle is of sufficient value to me.. I'll buy one over a liquid fuel vehicle, not because of any environmental concern. The price and performance of electronic cars is improving at an incredible pace. I'm not saying the oil industry is doomed or will disappear in 2, 5 or 10 years time but suspect that electric cars will be a large portion of vehicle sales, sooner than some might think. EV performance is very impressive for me I wouldn't buy one currently because of range and cost (my assessment of value).
Given that range is increasing and costs decreasing I'll buy one as soon as they meet the sweet spot - for financial and performance not environmental reasons. If it helps save the world.. even better
Never underestimate how much people will spend, buy, not buy and how fast thing can change. Consider that iPhones have not even been on the market 10 years and everyone now has a smartphone. The first iPad was released just under 6 years ago and tablets are now ubiquitous.
I think the iphone/smartphone and ipad/tablet phenomenon is a good study of how fast a market can be created (or re-defined - as in both of these cases) and how fast people can be convinced to fork out large chunks of thier disposable income for something that previously didn't exist.
The specifications of iPhones and comparable Tech have increased each release, fed by marketing and presumably customer demand. Electric cars will follow suit imho, with help from the fact that there has been decades of R&D into automobiles and decades in tech and batteries to push it along.
Change is inevitable, constant and sometimes hard to predict. All that being said, will Lithium drive the future products or Tech..? who knows! Will there be plenty of chances to trade in anticipation of lithium being the next big thing? Very likely!
