, Columnist
The True Price of Electric Cars
Millions of European workers are anxious about their prospects as combustion engines start to be phased out. Politicians need to get a grip.
Electric nightmares.
Photographer: ODD ANDERSEN/AFPThis article is for subscribers only.
Most people will be happy to see the back of the combustion engine. Cleaner air and less dependence on oil are good reasons to look forward to the mass adoption of electric cars.
But for the 3 million or so Europeans working in the auto industry, the transition to the new technology is a source of great anxiety. While the numbers are hotly debated, carmaker jobs will probably become scarcer because electric vehicles need fewer parts and less maintenance than their gas-guzzling predecessors.