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Tags: grids | manufacturers | retooling
OPINION

Biden's EV Madness Rewards China, Rips Off America

us vice president kamala harris reviewing electric batteries for electric vehicles  

U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris (R) looks at electric batteries, as she tours the production facility of bus manufacturer New Flyer (Saint Cloud, Minn.) - Feb. 9, 2023. - The trip came after a State of the Union address by US President Joe Biden, which touted his administration's investments in EVs. (Stephen Maturen/AFP via Getty Images)

Michael Dorstewitz By Friday, 14 April 2023 10:37 AM EDT Current | Bio | Archive

The Biden administration announced this week that it intends to remove much of America’s freedom to choose how they get to and from work, the grocery store, and get our kids to and from school.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) outlined new tailpipe pollution standards that will be among the most stringent in the world, and will guarantee that two out of three cars and small trucks produced by 2032 will be electric powered.

"Today’s actions will accelerate our ongoing transition to a clean-vehicle future, tackle the climate crisis head on and improve air quality for communities all across the country," EPA Administrator Michael Regan said Wednesday.

Not only would this force upon American automakers a gargantuan retooling task, but U.S. electric power production is insufficient to meet the projected demand that a spike in electric vehicles would place on the grids.

The Biden administration proposes to cap car and light truck fleet carbon dioxide emissions at 82 grams per mile by model year 2032. This represents a 56% reduction in emissions from the already strong model year 2026 standards.

Chet Thompson, president of the American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers Association, said the EPA’s proposal would “effectively ban gasoline and diesel vehicles.”

John Bozzella, CEO of the Alliance for Automotive Innovation, brought up another issue — infrastructure limitations of the U.S. power grids and charging stations.

“EPA’s proposed emissions plan is aggressive by any measure,” said Bozzella. “A lot has to go right for this massive — and unprecedented — change in our automotive market and industrial base to succeed.”

Tesla founder Elon Musk has long said that the United States doesn’t produce nearly enough power to support a massive increase in electric vehicles. As of 2021 he estimated that we could handle about 24 million EVs. That’s it.

Notwithstanding today’s limited number of electric vehicles, Gov. Gavin Newsom asked Californians to avoid charging their EVs during his state’s annual heat wave last year.

But what’s worse, it would also increase China’s economic dominance over the United States.

EV’s are powered by lithium batteries, which require three rare earth minerals in their manufacture: cobalt, lithium, and manganese. China has a near monopoly in all three. For example:

  • As of 2022 China reached a 77% global share of cobalt refining capacity
  • Also as of last year China controls nearly 60% of the world's capacity for refining raw lithium into battery-grade chemicals
  • Finally, as of May 2021 China produces more than 90% of the world’s manganese products, including battery-grade compounds, according to The Wall Street Journal

A heavy dependence on EVs would only elevate Beijing’s power, control and influence over the United States.

Finally, the American people would suffer personally if the EPA’s proposals are implemented — even if they don’t purchase an EV.

Someone has to pay to beef up the power grids to support the increased number of EVs. That would be everyone who gets an electric utility bill in the form of increased power rates.

Someone has to pay for the electric charging stations.

If they’re constructed by the utility companies, that’s another bump in our power bill. If they’re constructed by the federal government, it comes out of our taxes.

Finally, we have the ultimate insult. Everyone who buys an EV is entitled to a $7,500 federal credit — paid for by the taxpayers, whether they buy one or not.

Think about it.

Someone who is sufficiently well-off to spend $60,000 or more on an EV gets a $7,500 federal tax credit, paid for by the poor schmuck waiting tables or working in the very factory that makes the vehicles.

It doesn’t matter what name you attach to it. Whether you call it a tax credit or a federal rebate, it amounts to the same thing: it’s a subsidy.

Products are only subsidized if they couldn’t otherwise sell at a sufficient price to pay for their manufacturing cost plus a nominal profit. Entire industries — such as solar panel manufacturers — are subsidized if they couldn’t otherwise remain in business.

Subsidies clearly reward failure.

Free markets, which form the basis for capitalism, reward success.

We should always bet on the winner; we should always bet on success. And finally we should also go with freedom of choice. It’s what America is supposed to be all about.

(A related article may be found here.)

Michael Dorstewitz is a retired lawyer and has been a frequent contributor to Newsmax. He is also a former U.S. Merchant Marine officer and an enthusiastic Second Amendment supporter. Read Michael Dorstewitz's Reports — More Here.

© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


MichaelDorstewitz
Subsidies reward failure. Free markets reward success. We should always bet on the winner; we should always bet on success. We should also go with freedom of choice. It’s what America is supposed to be all about.
grids, manufacturers, retooling
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2023-37-14
Friday, 14 April 2023 10:37 AM
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