Buttigieg diminishes Biden-Harris administration EV mandates – Washington Examiner
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg has downplayed the electric vehicle (EV) mandates set by President Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris, suggesting that they do not impose strict requirements on consumers currently. During an appearance on “Fox and Friends,” Buttigieg emphasized that individuals can still purchase gasoline-powered vehicles alongside EVs, and highlighted the administration’s support in making EVs more affordable. The context of this discussion comes as Harris concludes a brief presidential campaign, raising questions about her stance on the administration’s EV policies. Buttigieg refuted claims of an EV mandate by stating that purchasing options remain flexible for consumers.
Buttigieg diminishes Biden-Harris administration EV mandates
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg downplayed the goals that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris set for electric vehicles in the United States.
As Harris reaches the end of her campaign of less than four months, it remains to be seen where she stands on whether to continue with the administration’s stance on electric vehicles or slow down the pursuit of a majority-EV market. Buttigieg appeared on Fox and Friends on Tuesday to remind voters that the administration’s mandate does not affect them today.
“How much did the EV mandate hurt the Kamala Harris quest to be the next president?” host Brian Kilmeade asked Buttigieg.
“First of all, the statement that there is an EV mandate is a lie. You can buy a gas car right now if you want one. You can buy an EV if you want one, and we’ll help make it cheaper,” Buttigieg said.
“Really? For how long?” Kilmeade said.
“For as long as you want,” Buttigieg said.
The Biden administration is pursuing a 2030 mandate of 50% EVs on top of a 2032 mandate of 67%.
Meanwhile, the Transportation Department is struggling to provide chargers as it promotes electric vehicles under the Biden administration’s promises. By May, the administration had only built about eight charging stations over two years with $7.5 billion on hand. Its goal is to have 500,000 new chargers by 2030.
The Harris campaign website makes a cursory mention of electric vehicles, leaving her stance on the mandate ambiguous. This could be an intentional omission, as Michigan, the country’s No. 1 state for automotive manufacturing, is considered a swing state.
Americans have bought 1,137,505 electric cars this year, with over 120,000 sold in September alone. However, September’s sales represented only about 10.49% of total car purchases.
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