Thousands of American auto dealers are pushing President Joe Biden to scrap his electric vehicle mandate because consumers are not warming up to buying EVs for various reasons.
The group of 3,700 dealerships, which collectively sell every major brand of automakers in the U.S., said in a letter to Biden that his push to make two out of every three new cars sold by 2032 to be electric was highly unrealistic.
While there were good options for people wishing to buy electric vehicles, “the reality, however, is that electric vehicle demand today is not keeping up with the large influx of BEVs [Battery Electric Vehicle] arriving at our dealerships prompted by the current regulations. BEVs are stacking up on our lots.”
The dealerships said they’ve seen a drastic shift in demand for electric vehicles in just the last year and that they are arriving on their lots faster than they can be sold despite “deep price cuts, manufacturer incentives, and generous government incentives,” the letter said.
“Mr. President, no government agency, no think tank, and no polling firm knows more about the automobile customer than us,” it continued. “Some customers are in the market for electric vehicles, and we are thrilled to sell them. But the majority of customers are simply not ready to make the change.”
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The dealerships cited numerous reasons that consumers do not want electric vehicles, including their high cost, the lack of garages for home charging, the lack of access for public charging, the loss of driving range in hot or cold weather, and the “dramatic loss of range” when towing.
“Reliable charging networks, electric grid stability, sourcing of materials, and many other issues need time to resolve,” the letter said. “And finally, many people just want to make their own choice about what vehicle is right for them.”
Mickey Anderson, president and chief executive officer of Baxter Auto Group, which owns and operates dealerships in several midwest states, said dealerships have “never seen a situation where government has intervened in such a draconian way.”
WATCH: @DanaPerino and @BryanLlenas report on car dealerships across the US calling on Biden to stop his administration’s electric vehicle mandates:
“Mr. President, it is time to tap the brakes on the unrealistic government electric vehicle mandate.” pic.twitter.com/Tqx3T5TsXc
— Conservative War Machine (@WarMachineRR) November 28, 2023