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The collapse of TrueEV this week should serve as a stark warning to anyone considering buying a car from one of the dozens of new electric vehicle brands that have emerged over the past five years.

TrueEV was, by all accounts, a well-funded operation. It had backing from serious investors, a credible management team, and a product that — on paper — looked competitive. It still went under, leaving hundreds of Australian owners with cars they can no longer get serviced, software that will stop receiving updates, and warranties that are now worthless.

This is not an isolated incident. It is a pattern. And it will get worse before it gets better.

The global EV shakeout is accelerating. The brands most at risk are the ones with no legacy service network, no parts supply chain, and no parent company deep enough to absorb years of losses while the market matures...