Biden Ignores Consumer Choice with Electric Vehicle Mandate

President Biden has mandated the production of electric vehicles, ignoring concerns that it will limit consumer choice and increase the cost of new cars. Industry experts say the new emissions standards will effectively ban the sale of most new gas-powered cars by 2032.

President Biden's recent mandate on electric vehicle production has sparked controversy, with experts warning that it will drastically reduce consumer choice and drive up the cost of new cars.

During a speech outside the Rose Garden, Biden promised to protect U.S. jobs from unfair foreign trade practices and vowed to prevent China from controlling the market for electric vehicles (EVs). He emphasized that Americans can "buy any kind of car they want," but industry experts disagree.

Geoff Moody, senior vice president of American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM), believes that the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) new regulation will effectively ban sales of new gas cars by 2032. He claims that EPA compliance scenarios project new internal-combustion-engine car sales to fall from 84% at present to below 30% in 2032.

American Petroleum Institute executive Will Hupman echoes this sentiment, predicting that the mandate could effectively eliminate most new gas-powered vehicles in the future.

Senator Roger Marshall (R-Kan.) has launched an effort to stymie the new restrictions via the Congressional Review Act, arguing that Biden's comments sound like political grandstanding. He believes that the president is attempting to walk back his EV mandates while undermining American jobs.

Senator Dan Sullivan (R-Alaska) shares Marshall's concerns and accuses Biden of either being dishonest or unaware that his administration is working to eliminate combustion engines. He emphasizes the need for access to rare earth minerals for EV batteries, which are heavily restricted under Biden's policies.

AFPM states that under the new regulations, the average car tailpipe emission would have to be 85 grams per mile, which it describes as unrealistic. It claims that a carbon credit-based system within the new rules will prevent dealers from selling new gas-powered cars if they have not sold enough EVs.

General Motors has expressed that it continues to grow its electric vehicle fleet while retaining gas-powered options. However, the spokesperson acknowledges that the new regulations present challenges.

The EPA refutes these criticisms, claiming that the new standards expand consumer choice and save drivers $62 billion in yearly fuel and maintenance costs. They deny that the regulations constitute a mandatory transition to electric power.

The White House echoes the EPA's sentiment, crediting the Inflation Reduction Act with making electric cars more affordable. They maintain that more American drivers are purchasing EVs every day.

However, several congressional Democrats who support Biden's mandate did not respond to requests for comment on the president's recent remarks. The impact of the new emissions standards on consumer choice and the auto industry remains a matter of debate.