Last year was a record year for electric vehicle sales, with over 750 000 units sold, to bring the worldwide fleet to over two million. Volvo announced all its production vehicles from 2019 onwards will be hybrids or fully electric. France has vowed to stop the sale of petrol- and diesel-driven vehicles by 2040. A Dutch startup has announced Lightyear One, a solar-powered vehicle that could run for months without stopping at a charging station.

Ten years ago, I bet that the most common energy source for personal vehicular transport would be electric in 2038. Almost a third of the way to that date, I’m still cautiously confident that I won’t be proven wrong. However, behind all the optimistic news – the media loves green technology – there are some troubling signs.