2040 is too slow, about 10 years too late really. (Remember that last year, the prediction was the world has about 12 years to get it's emissions down dramatically, or it's too late, and we can all look forward to living in some Mad Max style wasteland.)
There's a lot they can do that they aren't, to make the switch to EV's happen.
- Urban public transit must expand, and fully electrify.
- Accelerate the attrition of older gas-guzzling vehicles. Practically speaking, ICBC should be scrapping any vehicle made before 1995, for a start.
- Mandate that localized fleet vehicles be fully electric from now on. (We always think of private cars, but how many vehicles are running around that never get far from their home base: owned by governments, local utilities & agencies, universities, malls, airports, etc.) For such vehicles, charging is less of an issue because they have a centralized garage, and can just swap out when the batteries need charging. I've worked at facilities where they have their own vehicles, but those vehicles never leave the grounds except to get gas.
- Change the building codes to BUILD CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE INTO EVERY APARTMENT & OFFICE BUILDING. Seriously, where else are people likely to spend enough time to be able to charge? Home first, work second.
- Legislation that all taxis, limos, and ride-hailing services must use EV's, period. Do not allow just any vehicle to haul passengers for money. This one might have to be only in urban areas though.
Obviously a few of the above would require the car companies to get their ass moving on making more EV's that are designed for hauling cargo or large numbers of people. (Vans, pickups, buses, etc.) But if you force them to adapt to the new market conditions, they'll get it done, because there's obviously a lot of money to be made in selling new EV's as everyone ditches their old vehicles.
