The push for electric and self driving cars is a nefarious plan.

T.H.E.Y. would now have complete control (and information) about your driving.
Don't pay you govern-cement control lords over some fee... no driving for you. (specifically, no battery charging for you)
Still don't pay? You car drives you to the police.

And why did they pay so much to install "smart" meters?
To control everything. No one pays that much just for an electronic instead of a digital meter.

Especially since the meter is really dumb when it comes to things that would actually help an electric grid power back on. You know, actually being smart.