The West indicated to their companies that ICE cars were being phased out by 2030 and set incentives and penalties. (To complete with China ev).

So the car companies rushed out EVs, panic spent on R&D. But without subsidies, most buyers didn't want them, as the charging infrastructure wasn't there (many people don't own garages or driveways or have 30 mins to sit in a charging point).

Now the west is delaying their previous targets to ban ICE cars.