As global electric vehicle (EV) sales growth slows, carmakers and regulators are asking an existential question: Is the current slowdown a blip?

One scenario sees mass market buyers, who currently baulk at higher prices of EVs, eventually come around and flock to the technology. EVs are silent, accelerate like sports cars and can save money in the long run. Once they are cheaper than petrol cars, and there are enough chargers, most consumers will never turn back.