The petrol engine was killed by China. Specifically, by BYD, CATL, and the Chinese government's 15-year, $150 billion bet on battery technology. In 2024, China sold 11 million electric vehicles. The rest of the world combined sold 7 million.
The petrol engine isn't dead yet. It will be with us for another 20 years. But the trajectory is clear. The question isn't whether EVs will replace petrol cars. It's whether Western manufacturers will survive the transition, or whether the future of the car industry is Chinese.