Lithium batteries have been around since the 70s. Chevy's EV1 in the 90s used a lead acid battery that have it a range of 60 miles. Which is still 10 miles shy of the average commute.

All in all this argument is moot anyway. No one knows if the industry would have survived, grown faster or slower because it was shuttered so quickly, or even stuck around. Chevy made sure no one would be able to keep their EV1 and they literally put them all out to a parking lot to rust.

I will say this about the market though. Without Toyota and the Prius I think Tesla wouldn't have came along as soon or been as successful. If Chevy would have pivoted from strictly EV to a hybrid they would have taken the market from Toyota and would have been way better off from it. But this is all just Monday morning quarterbacking to be honest.