(WatchDogReport.org) – More than 130 Republican lawmakers have written to the White House calling for President Joe Biden to withdraw proposed regulations on tailpipe emissions. The move comes as the Biden administration pushes for a transition to electric vehicles. The Republicans, led by Iowa Representative Randy Feenstra and Idaho Representative Mike Crapo, argued that the regulations issued by the Environmental Protection Agency effectively amount to an EV mandate and a phasing out of traditional combustion engines.
The Biden administration has reportedly stalled the new emissions standards for tailpipes as it approaches the presidential election. Requirements for automobile manufacturers to rapidly increase sales of electric vehicles have also been delayed as targets are pushed back until after 2030. Under pressure from billionaire donors and charities run by the Rockefellers, Biden has also halted approvals of liquid gas exports.
EV sellers have been forced to reduce prices as companies such as Ford reported significant losses due to the lack of demand for electric vehicles. Ford’s Model-e EV division suffered a loss of $4.7 billion in 2023 and is predicted to lose another $5.5 billion in 2024. Car dealers have written to the White House twice to stress that there simply is little demand for electric vehicles and pleaded with the Biden administration to take a more realistic approach.
Under the White House’s proposal on tailpipe regulations, 67% of new purchases of sedan, crossover, SUV, and light truck vehicles would need to be electric by 2032. Up to 50% of new buses and garbage trucks, 35% of short-haul freight tractors, and 25% of long-haul freight tractors should be electric by then as well. The White House has argued that the strict proposal would speed up the transition to “clean” vehicles and reduce the importing of oil by a billion barrels.
Republicans, along with some Democrats and energy industry groups, have raised concerns about the proposal’s impact on vehicle affordability, the reduction of consumer choice, and how much the rules could benefit China. China currently produces 75% of all lithium-ion batteries and dominates production capacity for cathodes and anodes, which are also critical parts of the batteries.
Crapo, Feenstra, and other Republicans raised concerns about how expensive electric vehicles are for many consumers and that the regulations could make the US more dependent on China. They stated in their letter to the White House that most Americans still prefer the internal combustion engine.
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