Want to have a good time? The comments made by Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg earlier this month in support of President Biden’s target of 50% EV sales by 2030 have infuriated conservative media outlets and House Republicans.
Let’s dissect these anti-EV assertions for errors, exaggeration, and muddled reasoning, shall we? We’ll also look at Buttigieg’s comments, which address critiques while also criticizing opponents for their lack of foresight in regards to providing cost-saving technology to rural areas and the urgency required to combat the climate issue.
We’ll also be open about the persuasive strategies ICE skeptics employ to hold up the shift to zero-emission mobility.
Buttigieg commended the Biden administration’s objective of having 50% of all new car sales switch to all-electric transportation by 2030 after testimony finished speaking before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee. Buttigieg asserted that if we are ready, the goal is achievable. Look, the fact that owners of electric vehicles would consume more electricity cannot be used as justification for giving up. We’re investing in a better grid because we don’t like the concept that America is less intelligent than other nations that have figured this out.
The Better for You. Better for America advocacy group maintains that Secretary Buttigieg is in a fantasy world. If Joe Biden decides not to seek reelection, this media outlet suggests that he will be the most likely Democratic nominee for president in 2024. They reason that if Buttigieg is elected, they will be forced to live in a green hell and purchase expensive EVs in order to comply with his climate zealotry.
The main aspects of their case are followed by a follow-up analysis.
EVs are too expensive. A brand-new EV typically costs around $66,000. Similar to ICE automobiles, there are numerous EV purchase alternatives. 63% of consumers believe that an EV is beyond of their price range, which has always been a crucial deciding factor in EV purchasing decisions. However, the price of a 2022 Nissan Leaf or Mini Electric Hardtop is under $30,000 . Yes, a 2022 Mercedes-Benz EQS costs $120,000, but consumers rarely make that kind of buy. Kelley Blue Book recently published new statistics showing that average transaction prices (ATPs) for new vehicles grew to $47,148 in May 2022.
EVs are for high-end consumers. On average, it costs $14 to go 100 miles in a conventional automobile. On the same journey, an electric vehicle (EV) would require just over $5 in power. Therefore, EV drivers save money on energy. The total cost of ownership (TCO) of EVs will soon match that of ICE vehicles, and this won’t just apply to wealthy consumers.
It’s a logistical nightmare to charge them. Outside of your home, it takes time and effort to recharge. To put it another way, an EV can plug in anywhere there is an outlet, and most people charge at home, whereas a conventional automobile needs to find a gas station. Every year, there are more fast-charging locations available. For instance, Virginia just unveiled a new billing scheme.
With a 220-volt charger set up in your house, the Tesla Model Y can take up to 11 hours to charge. The majority of people sleep less than that each night. My Model Y can travel 326 miles from empty to full; however, I almost never let it drop below 10% and typically only charge it to 80%. I absolutely don’t need much more than a restful night’s sleep to refuel.
Gas-powered vehicles are practically banned by Buttigieg’s proposed laws, which would force states to decrease CO2 highway emissions. Actually, if traditional OEMs want to continue, they must begin producing BEVs quickly; else, they will become outdated. The decline of ICE vehicles is much wider than Buttigieg’s remarks. California holds the nation’s top banning new ICE cars by 2035 target, and as the largest auto market in the US , other states will undoubtedly follow.
ADDITIONAL REACTION FROM CONSERVATIVE MEDIA VENTURES The Secretary asked Rep. Carlos Gimenez (R-FL) to reconsider his opposition to lowering the upfront costs of EVs through tax credits during their exchange, which was the emphasis of the New York Post .
Are EVs more affordable thanks to subsidies? Gimenez enquired.
Yes, that is a component of it, Buttigieg retorted.
The congressman replied, “Yeah, but that doesn’t make it cheaper.” We all had to pay the price in the end. All of us paid taxes. In a subsequent tweet, he stated that Buttigieg had informed him that the White House had reasoned that the more suffering Americans had, the better for electric automobiles. It is a bad form of government.
In conclusion, Rep. Dan Bishop said: “The more suffering Americans endure, the better it is for our program” (R-NC).
Sen. Ted Cruz stated on Twitter that the point is the brutality (R-TX).
In fact, you employ the word “need.” Rep. Thomas Massie (R-KY) advised Buttigieg that you could also say “wish.” The capability won’t be there by 2030, despite the demands and desires to make this fantasy a reality. Additionally, Massie expressed anxiety over what he perceived as the naivety of President Biden’s plan.
Evil. Cruelty. Fantasy. Alarmed. Naivete. It’s noteworthy that these lawmakers would use emotion-laden terminology to support their arguments for delaying action on climate change. Is there no scientific evidence to back up conservative accusations that EVs aren’t viable?
testimony 0 choose to use the Buttigieg comments as an illustration of how the US government is attempting to lower the price of electric vehicles in order to encourage more Americans to purchase them and stop spending so much for gas. Read: The environment is a wonderful consequence, but politics is what it’s all about.
Buttigieg highlighted the need for grid improvements in the US. He added, “If we add tomorrow’s cars to yesterday’s grid, it won’t work.”
The Secretary was reportedly all grins and added insult to injury for Americans upset with Vice President Biden’s energy policies (which carried out his campaign vow to wean the country off fossil fuels).
Smiles. Insult. Angry. We are aware that there are many EV-related questions among Americans. That’s okay. However, why should anyone take offense with a jovial government representative who is working to advance a more equal, safe, and technologically advanced future? Don’t we want for a dependable energy system that provides the power industry with rising system flexibility and resilience? Oh, right. Due to doubletalk from media sites like Fox News, many conservative citizens in the US have a tendency to object to the idea of sustainable transportation.
PERSONAL FINAL THOUGHTS REGARDING BUTTIGIEG ANDAMP; EV OBJECTIVES Buttigieg’s testimony before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee lasted for nearly 5 hours and covered a wide range of subjects, including the need for a wider adoption of electric vehicles as well as improvements to transit, ports, and bridges that are intended to promote economic growth and enhance quality of life for locals.
Buttigieg pointed out that the USDOT has so far announced about $84 billion in grant financing, and that there would be more for lawmakers and the people they represent.
We will need your continuing leadership and cooperation in this important task, along with those of communities around the nation, organized labor, corporations, state, tribal, and municipal politicians, and countless others. Together, we have the chance to transform countless lives, promote well-paying jobs, help American manufacturing, support infrastructure modernization for decades to come, and firmly establish America as the world’s top economy.
It will be extremely difficult for Buttigieg to persuade fossil fuel entrepreneurs that renewable energy transportation solutions are the way to go. But this job is extremely crucial.
After all, John F. Kennedy is credited with saying that conformity is the enemy of growth and the jailer of freedom.
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