The Biden administration is going into overdrive with its aggressive electric vehicle push despite lackluster consumer demand.
The near-finalized Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) tailpipe emissions rule to mandate 67% of new vehicles sold by 2032 to be EVs drops this April. Last month, the administration doubled down on accelerating the forceful adoption of these non-gas alternatives. This week, however, the White House appeared to strike a slightly different tone on its mandate, per a New York Times report.
“In a concession to automakers and labor unions, the Biden administration intends to relax elements of one of its most ambitious strategies to combat climate change, limits on tailpipe emissions that are designed to get Americans to switch from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles, according to three people familiar with the plan,” the report claims. “Instead of essentially requiring automakers to rapidly ramp up sales of electric vehicles over the next few years, the administration would give car manufacturers more time, with a sharp increase in sales not required until after 2030, these people said. They asked to remain anonymous because the regulation has not been finalized.”
.But if you dare suggest that the White House is mandating the phase-out of internal-combustion-engine (ICE) vehicles, radical environmentalists will actively censor you.
The Wall Street Journal recently reported the progressive group Climate Power is demanding local TV broadcasters reject ads from the American Fuel & Petrochemical Manufacturers (AFPM). Climate Power is a self-described “paid media operation” founded by leftist preservationist environmental groups like the Center for American Progress Action Fund, League of Conservation Voters, and Sierra Club.
Its Chief Operating Officer Jill Shesol threatened broadcasters in a letter not to air AFPM’s ads against Biden’s EV mandate, writing, “AFPM’s advertisements falsely state that “President Biden’s EPA is rushing to ban new gas-powered cars.” The ads ask viewers to “tell [President Biden] to stop his EPA’s car ban.” However, there is no pending federal “car ban,” and to claim otherwise is patently false and intentionally misleading.”
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The letter continued and warned it would sic the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on them if they proceeded against their wishes: “You have a duty “to protect the public from false, misleading or deceptive advertising.” Failure to prevent the airing of “false and misleading advertising” maybe “probative of an underlying abdication of licensee responsibility” that can be cause for the loss of a station’s license.”
This is unhinged, aggressive behavior from climate alarmists. AFPM, however, has the First Amendment right to play these anti-EV ads and isn’t bowing to pressure from these bullies.
"The President has been clear since 2020 that he intends to use his agencies to eliminate sales of new gas cars," AFPM noted in a statement reported by Fox News. "Tinkering with the near-term speed of implementation doesn't change the end game, which is banning new gas-powered cars."
But it’s not just Biden’s EV mandate. Eighteen states and Washington, D.C., are now married to California’s net-zero vehicle rules to get rid of gas-powered cars by 2035.
One of the impacted states is my state, the Commonwealth of Virginia. Despite the aggressive push, just 56,000 EVs exist here. EV mandates are extremely unpopular in Old Dominion, too, with 57% of Virginians being opposed to remaining tethered to the Golden State’s rules.
Ahead of last year’s statewide elections, Governor Glenn Youngkin (R-VA) said only Virginians - not Sacramento - should choose their preferred car models. Youngkin said, “If you want to buy an electric vehicle, buy one; that's your decision - just don't drive too far. But most importantly, that's your decision, not California's and not the government's.”
Had they passed several bills in the General Assembly, they would have untethered us from these obtuse regulations. I sent this statement to our State Senate on behalf of Independent Women’s Voice last month, explaining, “Untethering Virginia from California’s emissions regulations and electric vehicle mandates is good policy. Virginians, like their fellow Americans, aren’t warming up to forced EV adoption. Phasing out sales of new gas-powered cars by 2035 is an unworkable goal that presents risks to energy safety. Drivers are skeptical of purchasing EVs – citing range issues, high costs, and long charging times. That’s why Virginians should choose the best car for them and their families.”
Alas, Democrats who narrowly control the General Assembly ignored our concerns and killed the bills in question. They’re going to have to learn, ironically, from their California brethren that so-called climate action becomes unpopular when costs and utility bills go up.
EV proponents cannot gaslight their way to mandating EV acceptance and adoption. Why? The push to abandon reliable cars is not selling well with consumers.
And manufacturers aren’t falling for the illusion anymore. Ford announced its scaling down production of its F150 Lightning truck. Electric automaker Rivian is laying off 10% of its workforce. Hertz is selling a third of its global EV fleet - 20,000 vehicles - and bringing back “gas guzzlers.”
The inconvenient truth is this: Environmentalists are in denial about the Biden administration’s unpopular EV mandate. Will they learn?
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