ExxonMobil has posted a new advertisement for its Mobil 1 motor oil, and while one may argue that it’s all about driving enjoyment and freedom of movement, a distinct anti-EV message can be read between the lines.
The footage contains no electric cars, but the story tells us about a certain anti-utopian world where every human is inescapably tied to their present location with cables, be it their home, their work or a morning jog.
In the end, one of the characters breaks free from the restraints and drives a truck into the horizon. Not just every truck, either, but a Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, a once-iconic U.S.-made pickup.
The way it looks, ExxonMobil clearly wants us to feel awkward about being dependent on electricity wherever we go and thinks that total electrification is not the right direction for the industry to be heading in. The one conclusion that suggests itself is that a worldwide transition from ICE cars to EVs may have disastrous consequences – just not for us. ExxonMobil, on the other hand, depends heavily on motor oil and transmission liquid sales and might go broke in the unlikely event of rapid electrification. We will leave the conclusion up to you.