Dave Borlace doesn't just debunk myths about electric vehicles; he dismantles the entire economic and logistical architecture of the fossil-fuel defense. While most commentary focuses on the environmental virtue of going electric, Borlace pivots to a hard-nosed financial and practical reality that makes the internal combustion engine look like a relic of a bygone era. He argues that the hesitation to switch is no longer about technology, but about clinging to outdated information in a rapidly shifting market.
The Cost Fallacy
The piece opens by tackling the most persistent barrier to entry: price. Borlace systematically dismantles the notion that electric vehicles are a luxury purchase, pointing to data that suggests they are already the smarter financial move for the average consumer. He cites a 2019 report from the International Council for Clean Transportation, which compared the total cost of ownership for a Volkswagen Golf across five European nations. "In every case the pure electric vehicle came out as the least expensive overall," Borlace notes, highlighting that when you factor in maintenance, insurance, and fuel, the math favors the electric option immediately.
He reinforces this with a ten-year projection from a Canadian analysis that assumed full depreciation for both vehicle types. Even with a higher sticker price, the electric models represented better value over the decade. Borlace writes, "by 2023 even the sticker price of a 150 mile range electric car will actually be cheaper on the car showroom forecourt some an equivalent internal combustion engine car." This is a crucial pivot point in the argument: the tipping point where the upfront cost barrier vanishes entirely. Critics might argue that battery replacement costs could skew these long-term calculations, but Borlace counters this later by citing real-world data on battery longevity, suggesting this fear is largely theoretical.
The Grid and the Environment
Perhaps the most sophisticated part of Borlace's coverage is his reframing of the electricity grid. He anticipates the common fear that mass adoption will cause a blackout, dismissing it as "misguided information." He explains that grids in developed nations can already handle a 15 to 20 percent shift to electric vehicles. More importantly, he introduces the concept of the vehicle as a grid asset rather than a drain. "Electric vehicles are basically energy storage units with a will on each corner," he argues, explaining how software can coordinate charging to smooth out demand spikes rather than exacerbate them.
"Just like everything else in our modern world, it's all in the algorithm."
This technological optimism is grounded in the reality of smart meters and vehicle-to-grid communication. He also addresses the carbon footprint argument, noting that even in coal-heavy regions like China, battery-powered vehicles produce about 40% fewer emissions than their gas counterparts. He points out that consumers can actively choose renewable sources, citing networks like Eco-tricity in the UK and Electrify America in the US that are already contracting for 100% renewable energy. The argument here is that the transition is not a binary switch but a gradual optimization where the car and the grid evolve together.
Infrastructure and Range Reality
Borlace shifts to the practicalities of ownership, specifically range anxiety and charging speed. He challenges the idea that long trips are impossible, noting that the average daily commute is only about 20 miles, well within the range of even the smallest modern batteries. "The average daily commute in the UK and the US is about 20 miles," he states, "even the smallest batteries are of about a hundred miles of range and most of them nowadays are actually well over 200 miles or more."
He also tackles the charging time myth with specific data on rapid charging. He describes how a 50-kilowatt charger can add 150 miles of range in 30 minutes, and highlights the emergence of 350-kilowatt stations that can deliver 300 miles of range in just 15 minutes. "They'll be charging at 20 miles per minute," he says, painting a picture of a future where refueling is faster than a coffee break. While he acknowledges that home charging without a driveway is a challenge, he frames it as a temporary logistical hurdle rather than a dealbreaker, noting the proliferation of workplace charging and the eventual arrival of induction technology.
The Psychology of Resistance
The final reason Borlace addresses is perhaps the most human: comfort with the status quo. He identifies a psychological barrier where drivers feel more confident with a technology they understand, even if it is becoming obsolete. He suggests this resistance is often rooted in social signaling rather than practical necessity. "I know about internal combustion engine cars... I'm comfortable with them and I don't like to change if I don't have to," he paraphrases the skeptic, before noting that this hesitation speaks more to "insecurities" than to the vehicle's utility. He reminds the audience that few could have predicted the current state of the world just ten years ago, implying that the next decade will render today's skepticism equally outdated.
"Very few people would have predicted today's world ten years ago."
This closing thought serves as a powerful reminder that technological adoption curves are rarely linear and that resistance to change is a historical constant, not a valid argument against progress. Borlace's framing suggests that the debate has moved past the "if" and is now entirely about the "when."
Bottom Line
Borlace's strongest asset is his reliance on hard data to dismantle emotional arguments, proving that the economic and logistical case for electric vehicles has already tipped in their favor. The argument's only vulnerability lies in the assumption that infrastructure rollout will keep pace with vehicle production in every region, a variable that remains dependent on policy rather than just market forces. For the busy reader, the takeaway is clear: the hesitation to switch is no longer a rational calculation of risk, but a lag in updating one's mental model of the automotive world.