Are EVs Environmentally Viable?

An EV skeptic writes as follows, with my comments in italics:

What do they think will happen if they succeed in making the entirety of the US transition to electric cars?

This is bound to happen, though over a period of decades.  BTW, who’s “they?” This is an extremely complicated blend of technology, economics, and politics. Stakeholders include automakers, power utilities, grid operators, infrastructure planners, world government agencies, NGOs, and consumer groups.

What about places where the electric power grid is already strained?

Outside of Texas, which has its own (badly outdated) grid, there are no specific places in which the power grid is strained.  With 99.91% uptime (8 hours downtime per year), the United States has among the most reliable grids on Earth.  Having said that, extreme weather events have made grid failures more frequent over recent years.

Another thing to keep in mind is that, insofar as the average efficiency of internal combustion engines is ~20%, and that of charging/discharging batters is four times that, we need approximately 14% more electrical energy supply to replace  every car and truck on American roads.  

How about the environmental damage caused by producing the batteries to these cars?

This subject has been studied, up one side and down the other, by people who have spent their entire adult lives covering the issue.  In short, the “electrification of everything” is indeed complicated but it’s regarded as one of the requirements to avert ecological catastrophe.  

Also, every single aspect of building and recycling batteries is improving each year.  

Meanwhile, how do those making policy stand to gain?

You seem to be suggesting that proponents of clean energy and transportation are more beholden to moneyed interests than the congresspeople who perpetuate the consumption of fossil fuels.  That’s just asinine.    

These are questions everyone should be asking.

Per the discussion above, no they’re not.