Initial gasoline engines used to break down very often and needed hand cranking. This cranking system claimed many lives. They were able to become mainstream mainly due to "electric" starter which eliminated the hand cranking system. Oil companies received over a Trillion dollars in subsidies and continue to receive now.If you inflation adjust it, it would be many trillions. Gasoline vehicles got a huge boost from army orders and subsidies which needed gasoline trucks. The initial infrastructure spend was major highways which gave another big boost to gas cars due to their higher range comapred to prev gen electric vehicles. US kept invading countries for Oil. Understand that Oil is not just used for vehicles but also for plastics but gasoline vehicles are direct beneficiaries. Atleast with electricity, its renewable, easier to generate and available everywhere without being dependent on Oil rich countries.
