(The Center Square) – A group of Republican governors are calling on President Joe Biden to halt his electric vehicle mandate proposal.
In a letter to the president, the governors said they aren’t opposed to electric vehicles, but rather overreaching federal government mandates that “penalize retailers and do not reflect the will of the consumer” in the U.S.
“Even with deep price cuts, manufacturers’ incentives, and generous government funding, federal mandates on electric vehicles are unrealistic,” the governors wrote.
The EPA is pushing for two-thirds of vehicles in the U.S. to be battery-powered by 2032 in an effort to help combat man-made climate change and reduce America’s dependency on oil.
The administration has taken steps in recent months to build more charging stations, but lack of infrastructure is an issue for the governors. They add in the letter that there’s a concern about “grid capacity and reliability.”
Thousands of car dealerships have also signed on to a letter asking the Biden administration to “tap the brakes” on the EV mandate proposal, The Center Square previously reported.
“There are a number of reasons why consumers are leaving these cars on dealership lots – the cost, the infrastructure required, and the battery content requirements are untenable for today’s car buyers,” the governors’ letter said. “Even if consumers determine over time that battery electric vehicles are appealing, the reality is that the lack of a strong, domestic marketplace makes electric vehicles prohibitively expensive for the American consumer.”
Republicans who signed on to the letter are Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders, Idaho Gov. Brad Little, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry, Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte, Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen, Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt, (South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, Utah Gov. Spencer Cox, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, and Virginia Gov. Mark Gordon.
“Ultimately, we must continue to maintain consumer choice. Your mandates are unrealistic, costly, and prescriptive solutions that harm American consumers,” the governors wrote.
