Around the world, countries are pushing to electrify transport, which accounts for around 20% of global emissions each year. Electrifying half of the world’s light-duty vehicles could save 1.5 billion tonnes of carbon emissions annually, equivalent to the emissions of Russia1. Doing so would also improve air quality, reducing the rate of asthma attacks, infant mortality and acute bronchitis (see go.nature.com/4onyqhh). But electric vehicles (EVs) remain unaffordable for most people.