The Trump administration’s attack on EVs started almost immediately. Billions are being cut from state EV programs. And things may get worse if a handful of Republican senators get their way.
A pair of bills have been introduced in the senate by 14 Republican senators, Electrek reports. The first bill, led by Senator John Barrasso (R-Wyoming) targets the EV Tax Credit. If passed, it would eliminate the $7,500 tax credit for new vehicles and the $4,000 used EV credit. Language from Barrasso’s site seems to suggests that he believes that EVs are something that are bought and used by elites. The title of the bill reinforces that.
The Eliminating Lavish Incentives to Electric (ELITE) Vehicles Act (S. 541) specifically repeals the $7,500 tax credit for new electric vehicles (EVs), eliminates the tax credit for purchasing used EVs, wipes out the federal investment tax credit for electric vehicle charging stations, and closes the “leasing loophole” that has allowed certain taxpayers and foreign entities to evade restrictions on EV incentives. It also stops China from exploiting loopholes and circumventing guardrails to access U.S. tax credits associated with electric vehicles.
“The hard-earned money of taxpaying Americans should not cover the cost for the luxuries of the nation’s elite. Nor should we be allowing China to infiltrate our markets and undermine our supply chain,” said Senator Barrasso. “Repealing these reckless tax credits from the Biden administration once and for all will stop Washington from giving handouts to our adversaries and high-income individuals. Wyoming families should not foot the bill for expensive electric cars they don’t want and can’t afford.”
The second bill, called the Fair Sharing of Highways and Roads for Electric Vehicles (Fair SHARE) Act, is being led and sponsored by senators Deb Fischer (R-Nebraska), Pete Ricketts (R-Nebraska), and Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyoming). This bill would add a $1,000 tax onto the purchase of an EV to cover the cost of road maintenance. Their argument is that since EVs don’t use gas and therefore aren’t subjected to a gas tax, then they need to pay their share some other way. From Senator Fischer’s site:
“EVs can weigh up to three times as much as gas-powered cars, creating more wear and tear on our roads and bridges. It’s only fair that they pay into the Highway Trust Fund just like other cars do. The Fair SHARE Act will require EVs to pay their fair share for the upkeep of America’s infrastructure,”
said Senator Fischer.
“EV drivers use our highways just as much as gas-powered vehicles, yet they are currently exempt from paying into the Highway Trust Fund because the Biden administration wanted to score points with its radical climate change base. The days of liberal elites in their expensive EV’s getting a free pass are over; they are contributing to wear and tear on our roads, and they should be forced to pay their fair share in repairs just like the rest of us,” said Senator Lummis.
Of course, both Senators Barrasso and Fischer received hundreds of thousands of dollars this last election cycle from the oil and gas industry, as Electrek pointed out.
It’s worth noting that Fischer took $356,393 from the oil and gas industry during the last election cycle. It is one of her top contributors. As for Barrasso, he takes even more money from the oil and gas industry: $781,381 during the last cycle.