In an effort to appeal to labor unions and the auto industry, the Biden administration plans to ease tailpipe emissions regulations this spring that were put in place to encourage the transition to electric vehicles (EVs), according to The New York Times.
The rules will give automakers more time to accelerate the transition to EVs, and by loosening emissions standards, automakers will have more time to accelerate the transition to EVs than they would have in just a few years under current regulations. However, it will be necessary to switch most of the production until 2030 or later. according to To the New York Times. President Joe Biden has long sought to win support from union members, especially the United Auto Workers union. They supported the president in last month's 2024 presidential election, but are concerned about the impact the transition to EVs will have on their current jobs. EV production requires labor, but that production is not subject to the same union contracts. (Related: Biden is urging unions to strike, but not just in the way you think)
The current regulations, proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency last spring, would require automakers to sell large numbers of zero-emission vehicles under strict conditions, according to the NYT. The plan predicts that about 67% of new car sales will be electric by 2032, compared to just 7.6% today.
'Existential question': Intensifying competition from cheap Chinese electric cars threatens major US automakers https://t.co/C8pTRgIa3r
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Former President Donald Trump has also sought to appeal to the union's workers, meeting twice with International Teamsters Association leaders and rank-and-file members in January. President Trump also specifically sought support for the UAW in a July 2023 video in which he criticized the Biden administration's EV policies, saying they were hurting auto workers.
The Biden administration's goal of electrifying U.S. vehicles faces severe headwinds from weak demand, with market value sales expected to decline in 2023 despite inventory share increasing from 2.8% to 5.7%. It has only increased from 3.1% in January to 3.6% in December 2023. % within the same time frame. The administration's rollout of EV chargers has also been complicated, with just two charging stations built as of December despite $7.5 billion in funding allocated.
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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