Well clearly I am bucking a trend. From being someone who was in the office 5.5 days a week, I am now able to work from home two to three days a week, which is purely down to the internet and remote working technologies.
My two sons both steadfastly refuse to have cars. The eldest learned to drive and did drive until he moved to London. Now his Jazz is parked on my drive here in Yorkshire and does 5 miles a month. He does not need a car in London.
My younger son is the reason I still keep the Jazz. I have said I will pay for him to learn to drive and his running costs for the car, as it is now a family asset. He is totally not interested as he can get by with buses, rides and taxis here and there.
I really do get that car manufacturers will not agree on a standard interchangeable battery though. That would take regulation and the enforcement of a 'formula' for autonomous self charging city cars.
I guess my real point is that whatever is the right solution for a city, this solution will not work in a rural environment, where journeys may be fewer in number but much greater in duration and complexity.
It seems to me that the real answer is in fuel cells and not batteries. This solution would seem to support urban and non urban vehicle types and journey patterns. It feels that the vehicle manufacturers have gone for batteries because of short term benefits and avoided the heavy continuing research that would inevitably result in a practical fuel cell solution, eventually.