Trump Transition Team Plans To Take A Sledgehammer To Biden Era EV Policies

Join daily news updates from CleanTechnica on electronic mail. Or follow us on Google News!

Reuters says it has seen the proposals the Trump transition crew is recommending for the transportation sector, they usually embody taking the parts of the Inflation Discount Act that take care of electrical autos and EV charging infrastructure, ripping them out by the roots, and throwing them within the trash. As well as, the transition crew is recommending sweeping modifications to strengthen measures that can blocking automobiles, parts, and battery supplies from China. The suggestions, which haven’t been beforehand reported, come because the US electrical automobile transition stalls and China’s closely backed EV business continues to surge partly due to its superior battery provide chain.

On the marketing campaign path, Trump vowed to ease laws on gasoline- and diesel-powered autos and roll again what he known as Biden’s EV mandate. It was by no means a mandate in any respect, however the reality and MAGAlomaniacs have a fraught relationship that permits them to say something they need and their so-called base will lap it up like a cat with candy cream. Being incurious and prepared to just accept each lie and distortion you hear is a trademark of the Crimson Hat squadron.

The transition crew additionally recommends imposing tariffs on all battery supplies sourced from anyplace exterior the USA after which negotiating particular person exemptions with allies, the doc reveals. Taken collectively, Reuters says, the suggestions are a stark departure from Biden administration coverage, which sought to steadiness encouraging a home battery provide chain, separate from China, with a fast EV transition. The transition crew plan would take the cash now flowing into constructing charging stations and making EVs inexpensive and redirecting it into nationwide protection priorities, together with securing provides and supplies wanted to fabricate batteries from sources that haven’t been tainted with the stain of Chinese language expertise. It’s the outdated “yellow peril” trope up to date for the twenty first century.

Transition Crew Shenanigans

The Trump transition crew has been assigned the duty of crafting a technique for swift implementation of recent automotive insurance policies. The crew additionally requires eliminating the Biden administration’s $7500 tax credit score for shopper EV purchases. If applied, the modifications might considerably affect the manufacturing and sale of electrical automobiles within the US at a time when many legacy automakers, together with Normal Motors, Ford, and Stellantis, have dedicated greater than $100 billion to the EV revolution. Hyundai and Kia have additionally launched a variety of electrical automobiles to the US market.

Chopping authorities EV assist might additionally harm gross sales of Tesla, the dominant vendor of electrical automobiles within the US, however Elon Musk — who spent greater than 1 / 4 of a billion {dollars} serving to to elect Trump — has mentioned that dropping subsidies would harm rivals greater than Tesla. Apparently the good and highly effective Musk has forgotten that he was as soon as the champion for electrical automobiles and is blissful to see his rivals — and the atmosphere — endure if it means extra billions in his pocket.

The transition crew requires clawing again no matter funds stay from Biden’s $7.5 billion plan to construct charging stations and shifting the cash to battery minerals processing and the “national defense supply chain and critical infrastructure.” Whereas batteries, minerals, and different EV parts are “critical to defense production,” electrical autos “and charging stations are not,” the doc says.

The Protection Division — which is able to quickly be headed by Ron DeSantis, who is aware of as a lot about operating the army as most individuals find out about nuclear fusion — in recent times has highlighted US strategic vulnerabilities due to China’s dominance of the mining and refining of vital minerals, together with graphite and lithium wanted for batteries and uncommon earth metals utilized in each EV motors and army plane. A 2021 authorities report mentioned the US army faces “escalating power requirements” for weapons and communication gear, amongst different applied sciences. “Assured sources of critical minerals and materials” are “critical to U.S. national security,” the report discovered.

Trump transition crew spokesperson Karoline Leavitt mentioned voters gave Trump a mandate to ship on marketing campaign guarantees, together with stopping authorities assaults on gasoline-powered automobiles. “When he takes office, President Trump will support the auto industry, allowing space for both gas powered cars and electric vehicles,” Leavitt mentioned in an announcement.

Extra Air pollution, Fewer Miles Per Gallon

Automakers globally have been shifting towards electrical autos partly to adjust to stricter authorities limits on climate-damaging tailpipe air pollution. However the transition crew suggestions would permit automakers to supply extra gasoline autos by rolling again emissions and gasoline economic system requirements championed by the Biden administration. The transition crew proposes shifting these laws again to 2019 ranges, which might permit a mean of about 25% extra emissions per automobile mile than the present 2025 limits, and the common gasoline economic system to be about 15% decrease. That’s great information for the oil firms that paid huge bucks to get Trump elected, however not for folks with lungs, because the high-quality particulates created when gasoline and diesel are burned can cross straight into the bloodstream, inflicting untold well being points, particularly for younger kids and older Individuals.

Naturally, the proposal additionally recommends blocking California from setting its personal extra restrictive automobile emissions requirements, which greater than a dozen different states have adopted. Trump barred California from setting more durable necessities throughout his first time period, a coverage that Biden reversed. California has requested the Environmental Safety Company for an additional waiver to include a stronger set of necessities starting in 2026. These necessities would ultimately result in all autos offered in California to be electrical, plug-in hybrids, or hydrogen -powered by 2035. The present EPA has not but authorized California’s request, however this week the US Supreme Court dismissed an attraction by a number of Crimson States to pressure their worldview on the residents of California. Nothing says “states rights” like barring one other state from exercising its finest judgement about what’s finest for its residents.

Lots of the transition crew proposals seem aimed toward encouraging home battery manufacturing, primarily for defense-related pursuits, Reuters says. Others seem aimed toward defending automakers, even these producing EVs, in the USA. The proposals embody:

Instituting tariffs on “EV supply chain” imports together with batteries, vital minerals, and charging parts. The proposal considered by Reuters mentioned the administration ought to use Part 232 tariffs, which goal nationwide safety threats, to restrict imports of such merchandise.
Waiving environmental opinions to hurry up “federally funded EV infrastructure projects,” together with battery recycling and manufacturing, charging stations, and important mineral manufacturing.
Increasing export restrictions on EV battery expertise to adversarial nations.
Offering assist for exports of U.S.-made EV batteries by way of the Export-Import Financial institution of the USA.
Utilizing tariffs as a “negotiating tool” to open international markets to U.S. auto exports, together with EVs.
Eliminating necessities that federal companies buy EVs. A Biden coverage requires all federal acquisitions of automobiles and smaller vans to be zero-emission autos by the top of 2027.
Ending DOD packages aimed toward buying or creating electrical army autos.

As well as, the Trumpies intend to cancel the contract the US Postal Service signed with Oshkosh Protection to fabricate battery-electric postal vehicles. Can’t have postal staff having fun with higher well being or postal patrons benefiting from decrease working prices when there are oil firms to guard, now can we? They purchased and paid for this new authorities and anticipate to reap their simply rewards.

You would possibly assume most Individuals could be upset about guidelines that can permit new automobiles to get worse gasoline economic system. Folks lose their minds if the value of gasoline goes up a nickel, however apparently they don’t care a flying fig leaf if they’ve to purchase extra gasoline to maintain their chariots operating. Logic and customary sense don’t have any position to play within the deliberations of the incoming administration or its supporters.