How Biden’s Politics Could Be Affecting Your Ability To Buy an Electric Vehicle
It’s a heated election year and one hot-button issue that is driving the contentious political landscape is electric vehicles (EVs). In an ambitious effort to combat climate change, President Joe Biden recently announced the strictest federal regulation ever issued for passenger cars and trucks — a regulation that could cause all-electric or hybrids to make up the majority of the U.S. auto market by 2032, per The New York Times.
Check Out: 5 Used Cars You Shouldn’t Buy
Read Next: 6 Genius Things All Wealthy People Do With Their Money
The new rule, which is aimed at eliminating emissions from vehicle tailpipes, does not come without resistance. There is an escalating partisan battle over automotive technology — and critics of the rule that requires carmakers to meet rigid emissions standards across their entire line or risk hefty fines have strongly opposed the mandate.
Trump Promised To Reverse the Rule
After the announcement, former President Trump stated he would reverse the mandate if reelected. “Joe Biden’s extreme electric vehicle mandate will force Americans to buy ultra-expensive cars they do not want and cannot afford while destroying the U.S. auto industry in the process,” the Trump campaign told Fox News in March. “This radical policy is anti-jobs, anti-consumer and anti-American.”
Policy advisors believe Trump’s stance could resonate with voters. “When you get into personal vehicles, you’re touching a huge portion of the United States,” Barry Rabe, a professor of public policy at the University of Michigan, told The New York Times. “The majority of Americans have little or no familiarity with E.V.s. When you get into the question of what you drive, how you drive, how reliable it is and what it signifies about your identity — that’s where the culture wars come in.”
Learn More: These 12 Cars Can Save You Thousands of Dollars in Repair and Maintenance Costs
According to Some, EVs Cause Carbon Emissions
Another argument made by critics of President Biden’s rule is that electric vehicles cause carbon emissions. “There’s a huge amount of environmental impact of mining the lithium and copper and all the materials that go into it,” James Meigs, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute and the former editor of Popular Mechanics, told USA Today. “So by the time that battery gets to your car it’s already responsible for a huge amount of carbon emissions.”
Not All Drivers Love EVs
Besides the expensive price tag attached to many EVs — as well as the lack of speedy charging stations — there are other reasons why some drivers prefer gasoline-powered cars. This past winter, Chicago EV drivers experienced their batteries draining faster due to frigid temperatures and many had to be towed. “I think I had 30% when I went to bed and parked at 8/9 p.m.,” Eddie Zipperstein, the owner of Richards Body Shop, told WGN9. “When I woke up it’s at 16%, so this cold definitely sucks the power out of the batteries faster.”
How President Biden’s Rule Helps Climate Change
Despite a degree of pushback and relatively low EV sales thus far, per CNN, the Biden administration is moving forward with its climate change plans — and the Environmental Protection Agency stands by the president.
“Let me be clear: Our final rule delivers the same, if not more, pollution reduction than we set out in our proposal,” EPA administrator Michael Regan told reporters last month, as detailed by AP News. “In addition to carbon pollution, the final standards also will reduce other serious air pollution that contributes to heart attacks, respiratory illnesses, aggravated asthma and decreased lung function,” Regan said.
More From GOBankingRates
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: How Biden’s Politics Could Be Affecting Your Ability To Buy an Electric Vehicle
