Dave Borlace reframes the electric vehicle surge not as a niche trend, but as a structural shift comparable to the original Industrial Revolution, arguing that the real story isn't just the cars themselves, but the rapid collapse of battery costs and the quiet, massive build-out of grid infrastructure. While much of the public discourse fixates on range anxiety or charging scarcity, Borlace presents a data-driven case that the market has already tipped, driven by a convergence of manufacturing scale and smart-grid integration that makes internal combustion engines the legacy technology. This is a crucial pivot for busy observers who may have dismissed EVs as a luxury experiment; the evidence suggests the tipping point is no longer theoretical, but operational.
The Economics of Disruption
Borlace anchors his argument in the sheer velocity of market adoption, noting that the number of electric vehicles on the road grew by 55% in 2017 alone. He emphasizes that this is not a slow burn but a rapid upheaval, stating, "every bit as transformative and disruptive as the one the world experienced over a century ago only this time it's not oil in internal combustion engines but renewable energy and electric vehicles that are causing the upheaval." This framing is effective because it strips away the novelty and positions EVs as the inevitable baseline for future transport. The author highlights that China, often scrutinized for its pollution, is actually leading the charge in adoption, with sales jumping 73% in a single year.
The core of the economic argument rests on the falling cost of the battery, which Borlace identifies as the primary barrier to entry. He cites Josh Brewer of Flexgen, noting that "the price of the batteries his company sources from China and Korea have come down by 20% just in the first six months of 2018." This specific data point is vital; it suggests that the cost curve is steepening faster than many policy models predict. Borlace argues that this price drop renders tariffs and trade friction largely irrelevant to the consumer demand surge, a point that challenges the narrative of protectionism slowing the green transition. Critics might note that supply chain bottlenecks for raw materials like lithium could eventually stall this price decline, but the current trajectory remains undeniable.
The momentum for electric vehicles and battery storage technology is growing extremely fast and we're very close to the point where range anxiety should no longer be an issue.
A Marketplace for Every Driver
Moving beyond the economics, Borlace dismantles the idea that electric vehicles are only for the wealthy early adopter. He traces the market expansion from the high-end luxury sector, dominated by Tesla, down to the mass market. He describes the Tesla Model S P100D as a vehicle that "boasts scintillating performance that competes with the likes of Porsche and Ferrari," acknowledging the brand's role in proving that EVs can outperform traditional sports cars. However, the more significant shift is the proliferation of affordable options. He details how the Nissan Leaf, Volkswagen Golf, and even the Citroën C0 are now available at price points that compete directly with their combustion counterparts, often before government rebates are even applied.
The author's choice to list specific price points and range figures for a dozen different models serves a practical purpose: it moves the conversation from abstract policy to concrete consumer choice. He notes that "pretty much every car manufacturer has either already got an electric model in the range or is due to release one in the next few months." This saturation suggests that the question is no longer "if" a consumer can buy an EV, but "which" one. The argument here is that the market is self-correcting; as more manufacturers enter, the variety of choices increases, driving down prices and improving technology across the board. This is a robust observation that counters the narrative of a single company holding the market hostage.
The Infrastructure Reality Check
Perhaps the most compelling section of Borlace's commentary addresses the fear of grid collapse and charging deserts. He directly confronts the media narrative that a fleet of electric vehicles would cause power outages. He points to data from the UK National Grid, which estimates that even if all cars were electric, the additional capacity needed would be manageable. "The plans for new renewable energy resources will more than accommodate this uplift in requirement," he asserts, grounding the optimism in engineering reality rather than wishful thinking.
Borlace introduces the concept of the vehicle as a grid asset, not just a drain. He explains that "electric vehicles will actually be beneficial to the smart grids of the future" because they function as mobile energy storage. By using "automatic time shift charging," cars can draw power during off-peak hours and potentially feed it back during spikes. This reframes the EV from a burden on the system to a stabilizing force. He highlights the rapid deployment of charging networks, from Tesla's Superchargers to BP's plan to install ultra-fast chargers at every petrol station in the UK. The visual of finding a charger becoming "no different to finding a petrol station" is a powerful rhetorical device that normalizes the technology for the skeptical reader.
Critics might argue that the timeline for widespread ultra-fast charging is overly optimistic, particularly in rural areas or for apartment dwellers without driveways. Borlace acknowledges this by mentioning induction charging pads and lamp-post chargers, but the sheer scale of the required infrastructure investment remains a significant hurdle. Nevertheless, the momentum of private capital, such as the $2 billion investment by Electrify America, suggests the market is willing to bear the cost.
Bottom Line
Dave Borlace's strongest contribution is his refusal to treat the electric vehicle revolution as a political or ideological debate, instead presenting it as an inevitable economic and technological convergence. The argument's greatest vulnerability lies in its reliance on the smooth continuation of battery cost reductions and the speed of grid modernization, both of which face potential geopolitical and logistical headwinds. For the busy observer, the takeaway is clear: the transition is no longer a question of feasibility, but of timing, and the window to adapt is closing faster than most realize.