The latest figures released by the International Energy Agency (IEA) show that nearly one in five new vehicles sold worldwide this year will be either fully battery electric or plug-in hybrid models. In total, one and a half million vehicles of this type are expected to be sold this year, which was around one million in 2017. According to a report in Science Magazine and Scientist, this is due to explosive growth, industry innovation and government intervention. Falling battery costs have led to long-range car deliveries, which has increased demand. In some countries, government policies, including restrictions on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars, have forced people to adopt automated driving. Correspondent Madeleine Cuff writes that the result is a shift in the car industry that will reshape the world's energy use. The IEA has predicted that global demand for oil for road transport will peak in 2025. "The petrol-diesel engine has been unprecedented for more than a cen...