Let the American People Have Autonomy Over Their Automobiles 

President Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) showed complete disregard for our freedom of choice earlier this year, by forcing the automotive industry to transition to electric vehicles (EVs) rather than allowing Americans to choose the cars they want to buy and drive. Our government shouldn’t be dictating who wins or loses, but rather should allow Americans to make the choice for themselves.

The electric car mandate

The EPA finalized a rule that functions as a de facto gas car ban on light and medium duty vehicles, requiring 56% of vehicle sales in the U.S. to be electric by 2032. If people feel moved to buy EVs and do their part in quelling climate change, that’s up to them. But forcing a rushed mandate goes too far.  

The remnants of a once bustling automotive manufacturing hub can be found along Pittsburgh’s Baum Boulevard, where people could buy themselves a brand-new Ford or Chrysler. A mandate of this severity would be the nail in the coffin for gas powered vehicles. With something so personal to each individual or family – and so vital to the economy – the government should be embracing freedom and not issuing a rule that takes away our autonomy. 

At Americans for Prosperity, we advocate for sustainable legislation that increases economic prosperity for all. The “tailpipe rule” issued by the EPA is the antithesis to the mission we’ve worked to uphold. By phasing out affordable, more reliable options like gas powered vehicles, Pennsylvanians will have to make calculated decisions about where they spend their money in order to adapt to this market shift. By denying Americans choice, the federal government is ignoring the same people they committed to serve. 

People don’t want electric vehicles anymore

Despite the EPA’s efforts, Americans aren’t running to car lots to purchase expensive EVs. In fact, Tesla continues to lay off thousands of employees after experiencing a less than thrilling start to 2024. In short, people aren’t buying EVs like some industry leaders had hoped.  

EV sales in Q1 2024 fell 15.2% in comparison to Q4 2023, demonstrating a shift in Americans’ purchasing power. The government shouldn’t force the American people to purchase vehicles they don’t want – or likely can’t afford – just to sustain Biden’s climate agenda. During a time where Americans are forced to be more money conscious due to inflation, it’s confusing why the government is issuing mandates that will only further inflict financial strain on the American people.  

Even when people do choose to purchase an EV for themselves and/or their family, national EV infrastructure lags far behind, creating challenges for EV drivers. The government is investing millions to build more comprehensive charging infrastructure, but the roll out is happening at a snail-like speed. In Pennsylvania, a majority of new charging stations are built and concentrated in major cities like Pittsburgh and Philadelphia, leaving much of the state without reliable access to public charging stations. The pace at which critical charging stations is an ill omen, at least for Biden’s EPA; EV’s are too expensive, and the technology is not yet ready for universal adoption – let alone a government mandate.

A low proportion

In Pennsylvania, as of July 2023, just over 47K residents own registered EVs. This is out of a whopping 11,800,712 registered vehicles. Just as I expressed in 2021, when discussing Biden’s massive spending package that included electric vehicle rebates for households making up to $500K a year: who does this benefit? It’s whoever you see driving a Tesla on your block.

Democratic U.S. Sen. John Fetterman has echoed similar sentiments. This past March, Fetterman called for further conversation surrounding Biden’s EPA tailpipe mandate. Fetterman stated, “we need to respond to what seems to be the American consumer sentiment, what seems to be a diminished kind of enthusiasm, for EVs.”  

Pennsylvania has a rich history of manufacturing, specifically in the automotive industry. It’s ingrained in our culture in ways many other states can’t understand. Through this blatant display of government overreach the EPA is choosing which sectors to uplift and which ones to take out at the knees.   

To disregard the voice of the people and our nation’s functioning free market system by implementing a rushed, ill-advised plan is not the American way.

This article was originally published by RealClearPennsylvania and made available via RealClearWire.