What this debate fails to capture is that there is some sort democratic control, and sadly I feel that this is what the voters want. Not that they wouldn't want better public transit and less pollution, but it's always fourth and sixth and tenth priority items behind "defense", "the economy", "abortions and gays", and more of that stuff.
Politicians are afraid to raise the taxes on gasoline, and/or a general carbon tax, because they are afraid they will not get voted. So what do voters want?
Politicians are afraid to ban ICE cars. To mandate only renewable electricity. Ban or triple the cost of flying. Not just because of hidden corporate interests and immensely powerful billionaires. But also to a large degree because of the voters.
Coming back to the cars topic, I would love for governments large and small to finally do something serious about cleaning up transportation. I am fine with limiting choices and banning ICE cars, removing private car lanes to make way for public transport, increasing taxes on gas, using lots of the public budget for railroads and metros, and whatever not. But I look around me and these things aren't happening, certainly not fast enough.
In my stupid country public transport is shut off during the sabbath, despite 80%+ of the population expressing a desire for it to change. But when they vote, they vote for "security", "terrorism", "corruption", "left vs. right" and other soundbites. So everybody needs a car for the weekend, and once they have the car they naturally tend to use it for commuting as well.
So my plan is to get me an EV. Will it solve the world's problems? It won't. But at least my local travels (when I use the car and not the bus) will be much cleaner. And I am happy that private corporations are developing these EVs even when governments don't do much to help them (besides carbon credits which many folks on this forum dislike, and some tax breaks, and some rarities like Norway). Maybe when governments see the popularity of EVs, and the availability of EVs, they might be braver and legislate further changes.