This was primarily due to the high cost of new design, low volume production, and of providing service to the small number of customers. The customer had to pay for these costs along with profit for the manufacturer. The cost of producing the automobile and supporting the customer is now low enough for most people to afford a car. The major auto manufacturers are currently set-up to design and produce ICE drive trains, sales and repair technicians know how to support ICE vehicles, and the entire network for distribution of parts currently supports ICE auto parts only. Until the sales volume, economies of scale in production, and supporting infrastructure are in place, the high initial cost of manufacturing the EV will have to be paid for by someone, whether itUs the consumer, the auto manufacturer, or the government through subsidies.
People currently expect to pay a certain amount for a car.
The value of contributing to a cleaner, better environment is different for every individual. The people supporting EVUs in the past were early adopters for whom the high cost was worth it. Most people would not pay very much more for an electric vehicle. This experience will be heavily leveraged in the future as hybrid vehicle technology matures and is introduced to a market place already familiar with and structured to support the electric vehicle drive train. The real winners in the near term for electric vehicles will be the developing world.