Not trying to pick a fight...
There have been electric motors at the heart of the gasoline engine's
dominance all along.
The gasoline/petrol engined vehicle moved into prominence only after the
perfection of the (electric) starter (motor) and pinion gear. For about a
century the starter has labored in relative obscurity, down on the dirty side
of the engine, providing relatively trouble free starting duty without routine
maintenance for years, decades at a time. It has its share of troubles --
starter solenoid, brushes, pinion gear -- but they usually announce
themselves long before total failure.
That said, the about to break tidal wave of EV's is due in large part to the
growing availability of relatively light weight, high density lithium-ion, etc
batteries.
The EV will push the ICE into the background -- heavy duty hauling,
construction equipment, etc. -- when the battery pack can provide reliable,
steady power for at least 250-300 miles at highway speeds. What Joe and
Jane expect without question and routinely get from a tank of gas...
Reaching that milestone will be one of the major success stories of the 21st
century. It will separate the winners from the also-rans in the race/contest
that is just beginning.
IMO, its the batteries that are the hitch-pin of the reinvention of the EV.
