The Trump administration’s attack on EVs began almost immediately. Billions are being cut from state EV programs. And things may worsen if a handful of Republican senators get their way.
A pair of bills have been introduced within the senate by 14 Republican senators, Electrek reports. The primary bill, led by Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) targets the EV Tax Credit. If passed, it will eliminate the $7,500 tax credit for brand spanking new vehicles and the $4,000 used EV credit. Language from Barrasso’s site seems to suggests that he believes that EVs are something which can be bought and utilized by elites. The title of the bill reinforces that.
The Eliminating Lavish Incentives to Electric (ELITE) Vehicles Act (S. 541) specifically repeals the $7,500 tax credit for brand spanking new electric vehicles (EVs), eliminates the tax credit for purchasing used EVs, wipes out the federal investment tax credit for electric vehicle charging stations, and closes the “leasing loophole” that has allowed certain taxpayers and foreign entities to evade restrictions on EV incentives. It also stops China from exploiting loopholes and circumventing guardrails to access U.S. tax credits related to electric vehicles.
“The hard-earned money of taxpaying Americans shouldn’t cover the fee for the luxuries of the nation’s elite. Nor should we be allowing China to infiltrate our markets and undermine our supply chain,” said Senator Barrasso. “Repealing these reckless tax credits from the Biden administration once and for all will stop Washington from giving handouts to our adversaries and high-income individuals. Wyoming families shouldn’t foot the bill for expensive electric cars they don’t want and might’t afford.”
The second bill, called the Fair Sharing of Highways and Roads for Electric Vehicles (Fair SHARE) Act, is being led and sponsored by senators Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming). This bill would add a $1,000 tax onto the acquisition of an EV to cover the fee of road maintenance. Their argument is that since EVs don’t use gas and due to this fact aren’t subjected to a gas tax, then they should pay their share another way. From Senator Fischer’s site:
“EVs can weigh as much as thrice as much as gas-powered cars, creating more wear and tear on our roads and bridges. It’s only fair that they pay into the Highway Trust Fund identical to other cars do. The Fair SHARE Act would require EVs to pay their fair proportion for the maintenance of America’s infrastructure,”
said Senator Fischer.
“EV drivers use our highways just as much as gas-powered vehicles, yet they’re currently exempt from paying into the Highway Trust Fund since the Biden administration desired to rating points with its radical climate change base. The times of liberal elites of their expensive EV’s getting a free pass are over; they’re contributing to wear and tear on our roads, and so they needs to be forced to pay their fair proportion in repairs identical to the remainder of us,” said Senator Lummis.
In fact, each Senators Barrasso and Fischer received tons of of 1000’s of dollars this last election cycle from the oil and gas industry, as Electrek identified.
It’s price noting that Fischer took $356,393 from the oil and gas industry through the last election cycle. It’s one in all her top contributors. As for Barrasso, he takes even more cash from the oil and gas industry: $781,381 through the last cycle.
This Article First Appeared At jalopnik.com
