The electric drive system is better than ICE systems, it's less complicated and more capable, there can be no argument against that fact, it's better in every conceivable way from it's abilities to it's simplicity in application. The issue is the batteries. I don't think batteries even need to be better than petrol they just need to be close enough for now.
Electrics have huge benefits for for health of people living in cities, the fumes aren't as much of an issue for us living in rural areas. They're cleaner, easier to make, simpler design, less moving parts, it's all an improvement. They fit better into our electric world and could become totally automated feeding themselves and transporting us around. Maybe becoming less like the cars we know today and more of low capacity transport system. Meaning petrol cars aren't kept for practical purposes but purely for the love of them.
I don't think the argument that your just moving the pollution from one place to another is a killer blow either, cars disperse harmful chemicals and gases on a mass scale throughout the world. Moving that source of pollution to just power plants or the manufacturing makes it easier to deal with and do something about it.
The bottom line is we will run out of fossil fuels at some stage, it's going to happen, maybe not today, maybe not in 20 years, maybe not for 50 years, but it will happen. In the meantime prices will go up. We can't be so dependant on one product, it's just not smart. Being dependant on one thing for survival is how animals end up going extinct.
I think places like Europe may need to start doing more to push electric over the line with more incentives to buy and funded public works to make electric more viable. It will need to be pushed over the line with infrastructure. America has started the ball rolling by providing solid products that are desirable, but the US isn't in a position to be enacting social change for the betterment of mankind. Europe has shown it can encourage rapid changes to our behaviour if it's done fairly without hitting peoples pockets to much.