In the Biden administration’s waning days, the Environmental Protection Agency granted California permission to implement an electric vehicle mandate that several other states adopted, despite the economic turmoil it would create for American consumers and businesses.
In granting a waiver to implement California’s Advanced Clean Cars II regulations, the EPA attempted to clear the road for other states to go beyond existing federal regulations and sign on to California’s pledge to meet escalating annual electric vehicle sales quotas that effectively ban gas-powered and conventional hybrid cars by forcing zero-emissions vehicles to comprise 100 percent of all new car sales by 2035.
Twelve states and the District of Columbia have hitched their wagons to California’s regulations.
In response, Congress recently passed a Congressional Review Act measure to revoke the EPA waiver that gave California effective permission to ban new gas and hybrid power vehicles. Notably, 35 House Democrats and Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-Mich.) joined with Republicans in voting to repeal the waiver.
President Trump should waste no time in signing the Congressional Review Act resolution into law, despite California’s promise to challenge Congress’s authority to rescind the waiver in court.
Legal challenges aside, when it comes to electric vehicles, reality is proving to be a stubborn obstacle to politicians’ zeal and environmentalists’ wishful thinking.
Traditional cars with gas engines and newer hybrid engines are widely popular because they are budget-friendly. In addition, the market conditions and infrastructure capabilities are nowhere near ready for the fantastical transition demanded by the new mandates — one that will be massively expensive for American families and taxpayers.
A recent national survey showed that 65 percent of America’s middle class struggles financially. Forty percent of all Americans are unable to plan beyond their next paycheck. Factor in inflation and the costs and effects of Trump’s tariffs, and consumers agree the future looks bleak.
Out of all their wallet worries, electricity prices are an extra-sore spot for consumers, with already spiking rates expected to increase as much as 30 percent for more than 65 million Americans.
Consumers’ grim economic outlook, shaky purchasing power and genuine infrastructure concerns are reflected in zero-emissions vehicles’ lackluster national sales. Even the more ambitious forecasts have sales falling short, recognizing that national electric vehicle sales may reach only 16 percent in 2028 — the same year California's and the others states' rules would require electric vehicles to account for a whopping 51 percent of new vehicle sales.
Some of these states have electric vehicle sales rates in single digits. Even California, where electric vehicles account for a relatively high 25 percent of new car sales, is lagging far behind its own requirements.
Electric vehicles currently make sense for affluent early adopters with large amounts of disposable income and lifestyle habits to transition ahead of others — not so much for those in less fortunate economic positions. Even groups pushing for more adoption of electric and hybrid vehicles admit that “electric cars still cost 25 percent more” than other vehicles.
Electric vehicle owners in more privileged situations also face challenges. Some are stranded in “charging deserts,” far from public infrastructure, and thus face a lose-lose proposition: They have to choose between installing a $1,000-$2,500 at-home charger or overload their circuits and run up electricity bills by plugging into existing outlets.
If drivers are fortunate enough to live a reasonable distance from one of the 64,000 public electric vehicles chargers, data shows one in five simply don’t work.
New Jersey was quick to hitch itself to California’s electric vehicles mandate, and businesses in the state have been sounding the alarm. The New Jersey Business and Industry Association recently urged Gov. Phil Murphy (D) to stop this rule taking effect, which they said “will significantly add costs for both consumers and businesses during a severe affordability crisis.”
In contrast, governors in Maryland, Delaware, New York and Massachusetts — all Democrats — have taken recent executive actions to steer their states away from onerous and unworkable sales quotas by delaying or withdrawing the associated penalties.
Too many Americans are worried their families' income will not be enough to afford high housing, grocery and electricity prices, as well as price hikes from tariffs. Instead of adding to that burden by leaving Sacramento in the driver’s seat, governors of all these states should give their constituents a reprieve from California’s impractical and economically back-breaking mandate by delaying enforcement or withdrawing entirely.
Mario H. Lopez is the president of the Hispanic Leadership Fund, a public policy advocacy organization that promotes liberty, opportunity and prosperity for all.
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