Electrification of the Powertrain in Automotive Applications: “Technology Push” or “Market Pull”?

Full battery electric vehicles are yet to achieve significant worldwide success on the market. This analysis shows that the required technologies have already been developed, but not for a use in the mass market, where low cost is mandatory to be successful. Central roles for this success will be played by governments, industries, and research and standardization institutions. A great effort in both national and international synchronization and coordination activities, together with a clear regulatory push, will be mandatory. Enabling technologies for the plug-in hybrid and full electric vehicles will also come from the “3Cs”: Costs, Comfort, and Climatic dependency. There is definitely not a single impulse that will be sufficient to enable the market for electric vehicles.