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The EV Transition Explained

A deep dive into the engineering challenges of making and supporting electric vehicles at scale
Photo of a bearded man in glasses, blue shirt and jacket.
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedMagazineApril 2023Spectrum CollectionsOpinionClimate TechClimate Change

The Staggering Scale of the EV Transition

One engineer’s quest to wrap his mind around the challenges ahead

3 min read
Image of a tangled line between a car and a charger.
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedMagazineFeatureSpectrum CollectionsApril 2023Climate TechClimate Change

The EV Transition Is Harder Than Anyone Thinks

Clueless policymakers, skeptical consumers, greedy automakers—and the tech isn’t ready either

7 min read
CEO of Dodge Brand standing on a podium next to a Dodge Charger Daytone SRT concept all-electric muscle car. Behind him a giant screen displaying the sentence: The Rules Have Changed.
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedEnergySpectrum CollectionsAnalysisClimate TechClimate Change

The Aftershocks of the EV Transition Could Be Ugly

To avoid unintended consequences, bring realism to the table

10 min read
Tesla Inc. vehicles in a parking lot after arriving at a port in Yokohama, Japan, on Thursday, Oct. 28, 2022.
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedEnergySpectrum CollectionsAnalysisClimate TechClimate Change

Why EVs Aren't a Climate Change Panacea

Unless people change their behaviors, we won't hit 2050 net zero emissions targets

9 min read
A collage showing four current electric vehicles. The EV's shown are: Mercedes-EQE SUV, Hyundai IONIQ 5, CHEVROLET EQUINOX EV 3LT, and Lucid Air.
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedEnergySpectrum CollectionsAnalysis

Convincing Consumers To Buy EVs

How range, affordability, reliability, and behavioral changes figure into purchase decisions

15 min read
Employees work at the assembly line of the Volkswagen (VW) ID 4 electric car of German carmaker Volkswagen, in the production site of Emden, northern Germany on May 20, 2022.
EnergyThe EV Transition ExplainedSpectrum CollectionsTransportationAnalysis

How EVs Are Reshaping Labor Markets

Millions of automotive, energy, and mining jobs will be created...and destroyed

11 min read
An image of a farm in Iowa with two large wind turbines in the background.
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedEnergySpectrum CollectionsAnalysisClimate TechClimate Change

The EV Transition Explained: Policy Roadblocks

How bureaucracy and public opposition could stymie efforts to support EVs at scale

8 min read
Heavy traffic moves along the 101 freeway on Wednesday morning November 23, 2022 in Los Angeles, California.
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedEnergySpectrum CollectionsAnalysisClimate TechClimate Change

How Will Automakers Meet EV Sales Targets?

The best ways to incentivize automakers and consumers differ depending on who's talking

8 min read
US President Joe Biden walks near Chevy vehicles as he arrives to deliver remarks during a visit to the General Motors Factory ZERO electric vehicle assembly plant in Detroit, Michigan on November 17, 2021.
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedEnergySpectrum CollectionsAnalysisClimate TechClimate Change

How Local EV Policies Shape Global Competition

From Hainan Province to California, cities, states, and regions set aggressive agendas

8 min read
A man and a woman standing between a red car and a white car
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedEnergySpectrum CollectionsAnalysis

The EV Transition Explained: Converting Gasoline Superusers

Making chargers ubiquitous is only part of the challenge

7 min read
Illuminated electric vehicle charging stations at night in Monterey Park, California.
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedEnergySpectrum CollectionsAnalysis

The EV Transition Explained: Charger Infrastructure

How many, where, and who pays?

8 min read
A man plugging a charger into an outlet
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedEnergySpectrum CollectionsAnalysis

Can Power Grids Cope With Millions of EVs?

Palo Alto offers a glimpse at the challenges municipalities and utilities face

8 min read
A General Motors Hummer EV chassis sits in front of a Hummer EV outside of an event
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedEnergySpectrum CollectionsAnalysisCareers

The EV Transition Explained: Battery Challenges

Batteries expose supply-chain and skills gaps

6 min read
F-150 Lightnings parked at charging stations at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan
TransportationThe EV Transition ExplainedEnergySpectrum CollectionsAnalysis

The EV Transition Explained

Engineering a new cyberphysical system at scale poses daunting challenges

7 min read