Sally Reed
The Biden administration is taking its responsibility for climate change seriously, pushing through a bill that finalizes crackdowns on gas cars. However, energy firms and automakers have been warning the administration against finalizing these controls. Let’s see what this means and how bad it could get.
Electrifying the Transportation Sector
The US has been trying to move away from fossil fuels for some time now, and many auto manufacturers have been dabbling in creating electric vehicles to meet consumer demand.
However, it’s been an uphill battle to drive the adoption of electric vehicles (EVs) since most people have become familiar with combustion engines and are uncertain about switching to electric.
Compelling Consumers to Switch
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) intends to finalize this bill to make it more palatable and economically feasible to own an EV, hoping to spur Americans to buy more of them.
Opponents of the bill suggest it’s a de facto mandate forcing consumers and automakers to do something they wouldn’t naturally do. They call this an overreach of the government’s agenda.
A Crucial Part of The US Climate Agenda
Climate change is a massive issue worldwide, and the US is dedicated to ensuring that it pulls its weight in the fight against global warming. This mandate is part of that battle.
The legislation will also force automakers to add more EV options to their available listings, allowing consumers the choice they need to make an economically sound decision.
Done to Appease Supporters
Opponents of the bill have stated that it is mainly political and was implemented to please the Democratic party’s financial backers and benefit them by switching to greener energy.
While opponents firmly believe that climate change isn’t a thing, most scientists agree that the earth’s temperature is rising much more rapidly than it should. Fossil fuels contribute to this temperature increase.
Changing The Balance of Market Share
Congress unveiled the bill in 2023, and it had some ambitious numbers: It expected as much as 67% of the consumer market to be fully electric vehicles by 2032.
Consumer vehicles weren’t the only ones that came under scrutiny. The bill also states that up to 25% of long-haul freight tractor purchases and as much as half of bus and garbage trucks will also be electric-powered.
Accelerating Clean Vehicle Transition
The bill is sweeping in what it demands and is the most aggressive push in history to force the switch from one energy source to another. Whether it will succeed remains to be seen.
The Biden administration considers it a method of accelerating the transition into clean vehicles. Switching this massive amount of cars over means less money spent on oil, saving the US billions.
Do Cars Contribute That Much To Global Warming?
Vehicle exhaust contributes to as much as 29% of American emissions. It contains large amounts of carbon, sulfur, and nitrogen oxides, which contribute to global warming.
Switching to a mostly electric vehicle base means that the US will have far fewer emissions to worry about, which could have a potentially massive impact on climate change.
A Leader in Innovation
While most within the US may not be aware, US policy, especially for vehicles and emissions, set the standard for many other countries that look to the US for guidance.
With a greater dependence on electric vehicles and better-quality electric vehicles being made, smaller countries can adopt this strategy for their own needs, reducing their emissions levels as well.
A Gradual Introduction
The EPA submitted the bill in its final form to the White House in January. They suggested a staggered introduction, with loose rule enforcement between 2027 and 2030 and ramping up enforcement in 2031 and 2032.
Industry groups are not fans of this approach, suggesting that it would lead to a rush towards the end of the legislation’s lifespan and that the results would, by and large, be unchanged.
Eliminating The Sales of New Gas Vehicles
President Joe Biden has already stated that he’s not a fan of new gas cars on the roads. In some of his speeches, he has indicated that he intends to ensure that gas car sales are cut in places like California.
To do this, he intends to use local and state authorities alongside federal agencies to limit the availability of those cars and tax them heavily so that they are less attractive and economical.
A Potentially Dangerous Situation
Industry experts have noted that switching over to electric vehicles looks good from an emissions perspective, but it could have lasting consequences in the global order.
The US has won its energy independence thanks to increasing production of shale oil and fracking. Changing to an electric vehicle base means they will give that independence up.
Most Electric Car Rare Metals Come from China
As many experts have noted, China is the number one producer of rare earth metals used in the manufacture of electric car batteries.
The US has had rising tensions with China over the Asian giant’s expansion into the South China Sea and the threat they present to US allies in the region. This could make the US dependent on an enemy.
A Lack of Infrastructure Could Cause a Bottleneck
Other industry experts have advised that the EPA doesn’t seem to have an “off-ramp” for its proposals, especially in case the US electrical charging infrastructure can’t handle the massive influx of new cars.
Additionally, producing and selling an EV is still more expensive than a regular gas-powered vehicle. The EPA’s legislation also failed to mention hybrid cars and where they fit in the scheme of things.
A Good Thing Or a Bad One?
Environmentalists would be the first to highlight how vital this legislation could be to curtail climate change. However, it comes at a steep cost to the American consumer and international relations with its most significant economic rival, China.
It’s too early to say whether this will help people or hurt them. The cost of EVs is still vastly higher than gas cars. Taxing gas cars removes them as economical, without an EV solution to take up the slack. Maybe we’ll start seeing fewer households with vehicles in the US.
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