I never thought deeply of the economic impact electric cars will have on the economy until I read an article in a business magazine. They have about a third to half less parts than an internal combustion car. Ultimately that means most parts manufacturers must find other business because cylinders, fuel systems, engine blocks and crankshafts won’t be needed. Tens of thousands of workers will be out of work. The service businesses depending on those workers will close or be cut back. Less workers means less appliances sold and houses foreclosed or sold at depressed prices.

John J. Rockefeller made his money refining petroleum into gasoline for the growing automobile industry. Electric cars don’t need gasoline so the refiners, distributors, and others will reduce workers causing area businesses to be hurt. Of course we won’t need many oil well drillers either but we will have pumped most of the petroleum out by then.

Both of these examples won’t happen at once but will slowly happen over the next couple of years to a couple decades. The many ethanol refiners may have to close but the corn farmers will have billions more people to feed so they won’t be badly hurt. Gasoline stations will convert to being electrical charging stations. I bet soon or later battery packs will be more like those I have for my tools. A fill-up will be sliding the old pack out and the new one in.

I don’t think anyone can foresee how all this retrenchment will work out. Other jokers in the deck are artificial intelligence and robots. I don’t think any job or economy is safe.