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WASHINGTON DC, August 5, 2021 ~ Thursday, President Joe Biden will sign an executive order moving the US automotive industry further towards electric vehicles, with the goal of 50% of vehicles sold by 2030 being electric.
“When I say electric vehicles are the future, I’m not joking,” said President Biden in a Tweet.
Biden will reveal the order accompanied by representatives from Ford, General Motors, and Stellantis, as well as members of the United Auto Workers Union (UAW).
US Energy Secretary and former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm is in Michigan for her first time since becoming Energy Secretary, to promote the Biden Administration’s infrastructure proposal.
“Today, the President is going to be with The Big Three, our Detroit three, at The White House,” Granholm said to 760 WJR’s Paul W. Smith, “announcing that the entire auto industry, not just our Detroit three, but the entire auto industry is on board with his goal…of having 50 percent of new vehicles be all-electric.”
August 5, 2021 ~ U.S. Secretary of Energy and the Former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm is in Michigan today to tour several electric vehicle facilities and she talks to Paul W. about the President\’s emissions standards morning announcement.
August 5, 2021 ~ Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin tells Kevin Dietz about her tour with Secretary of Energy Jennifer Granholm this morning.
The auto companies will pledge that 40 to 50 percent of their new vehicle sales will be electric by 2030, so long as congress passes a bill that includes billions of dollars going to electric vehicle charging stations nationwide. The bill will also include tax credits for companies and consumers buying the cars and charging stations.
Biden first wants to restore standards of auto mileage to what they were under President Barack Obama. He then plans to draft tighter rules on automotive pollution for both passenger vehicles and heavy duty trucks, in hopes to further increase sales of electric vehicles.
This is important for the Biden Administration’s climate goals, as 29% of greenhouse gases in the US came from gasoline-powered cars and trucks — the largest single source, according to reports.
“We play an essential and singular role,” said Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin to 760 WJR’s Kevin Dietz. “You can make announcements from Washington, but if you want to actually do this, and just massively expand on electric vehicles, guess who’s got to do it? It’s the big three, it’s the UAW, it’s Michigan suppliers. It’s what we do.”
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