Chris Talgo ([email protected]) is editorial director at The Heartland Institute.
This week, the Biden administration proposed a set of rules that, according to the White House, “could result in electrification of 67% of new sedans, crossovers, SUVs, and light trucks; 50% of new vocational vehicles (such as buses and garbage trucks); 35% of new short-haul freight tractors; and 25% of new long-haul freight tractors” by 2032.
Obviously, that is a very audacious goal, considering that less than one percent of the 250 million vehicles operated in the United States are currently of the electric variety. Moreover, in 2022, only 6 percent of all new automobile sales consisted of electric vehicles.
However, the Biden administration is hellbent on “providing a clear pathway for a continued rise in EV sales.” And, of course, they are doing so because they are so concerned with “protecting future generations from the impacts of climate change.”
Yet, despite the constant drumbeat from leftist politicians, the mainstream media, academia, and out-of-touch elites that global warming is an existential crisis, which requires that we must abandon gasoline-powered vehicles in favor of so-called green electric vehicles (EV), the vast majority of Americans are not on-board with this absolutely kooky idea.
Per a recent study by J.D. Power, less than 25 percent of Americans say they are “very likely” to consider purchasing an EV for their next vehicle.
There are many reasons why the overwhelming majority of Americans remain reluctant to purchase an EV in the near future, including “range anxiety” (fear that the battery will run out before they reach their destination), sticker shock (the average price for a new EV is $66,000), lack of easy access to charging stations, and the environmental impact of batteries.
On the other hand, Americans prefer gasoline-powered cars because they are affordable, easy to refuel, and are practical for long-haul trips.
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And, although the Biden administration wants you to believe that EVs are greener than a Chia Pet, in reality, they are not. Actually, truth be told, EVs are an environmental disaster.
First, the manufacturing process for EVs produces an enormous carbon footprint, seeing as how the factories that make these cars still rely on non-renewable electricity sources. Second, every time an EV is plugged into a charging station, it relies on power plants that run primarily on fossil fuels. Third, the extraction process for the rare earth minerals that are needed in lithium-ion batteries, which power EVs, results in widespread environmental destruction.
By the way, the Biden administration failed to own up to the fact that the primary components that are needed to manufacture these batteries come from China, which contributes more carbon dioxide emissions than every developed country combined. What’s more, China utilizes slave labor throughout its EV battery supply chain.
But, fear not. “As a car enthusiast and self-proclaimed car guy, President Biden is seizing the moment…Cars and truck manufacturers have made clear that the future of transportation is electric. The market is moving.” Or so the White House says.
Back in the real world, the market is not moving, as the data clearly show. And, car and truck manufacturers have not jumped onto the EV bandwagon willingly; they have been browbeaten and forced to do so, courtesy of the Biden administration’s heavy-handed measures.
In recent years, the radical environmental left has targeted incandescent light bulbs, gas stoves, and now gasoline-powered cars for banishment. It makes me wonder, what will they ban next?
The opinions expressed in guest op-eds are those of the writer and do not necessarily represent the views of RedState.com.
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