Sulfur hexafluoride, a gas 24,300 times more potent at creating the greenhouse effect than carbon dioxide, is being released into the atmosphere at an alarming rate as China seeks to expand its electric power grid.
The findings were from a new <a href="https://eaps.mit.edu/news-impact/atmospheric-observations-in-china-show-rise-in-emissions-of-a-potent-greenhouse-gas/">study</a> conducted by researchers at the MIT Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Global Change, Fudan University, Peking University, University of Bristol, and Meteorological Observation Center of China Meteorological Administration.
&#8220;Greenhouse gases differ widely in their global warming potential (GWP), or ability to absorb radiative energy and thereby warm the Earth’s surface,&#8221; MIT said. &#8220;For example, measured over a 100-year period, the GWP of methane is about 28 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2), and the GWP of sulfur hexafluoride (SF6) is 24,300 times that of CO2.&#8221;
Sulfur hexafluoride, SF6, is used &#8220;primarily in high-voltage electrical switchgear in electric power grids,&#8221; the report said, adding that atmospheric concentrations of the greenhouse gas have skyrocketed as the global demand for electric power increases.
The report said that the increase in SF6 in the atmosphere, which communist China is largely responsible for, threatens the world’s efforts to combat so-called &#8220;climate change.&#8221;
&#8220;The researchers found that SF6 emissions in China almost doubled from 2.6 gigagrams (Gg) per year in 2011, when they accounted for 34 percent of global SF6 emissions, to 5.1 Gg per year in 2021, when they accounted for 57 percent of global total SF6 emissions,&#8221; the report said. &#8220;This increase from China over the 10-year period — some of it emerging from the country’s less-populated western regions — was larger than the global total SF6 emissions rise, highlighting the importance of lowering SF6 emissions from China in the future.&#8221;
SF6 gasses that escape in the atmosphere last for more than a thousand years and with a negative impact 24,300 times greater than CO2, the stakes could not be higher as officials seek to force consumers to abandon gas powered vehicles and switch to electric vehicles which requires having a robust power grid.
“Any increase in SF6 emissions this century will effectively alter our planet’s radiative budget — the balance between incoming energy from the sun and outgoing energy from the Earth — far beyond the multi-decadal time frame of current climate policies,” says MIT Joint Program and CGCS Director Ronald Prinn, a coauthor of the study. “So it’s imperative that China and all other nations take immediate action to reduce, and ultimately eliminate, their SF6 emissions.”

Commissioning of the Nordring Berlin high-voltage line

MIT Study: Gas 24,000x More Powerful Than CO2 Being Released From Power Grid

China

Climate Change

Communist China

Electric cars

electric vehicles

Power

Billionaire Tesla owner Elon Musk accused Reuters of lying after the outlet <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/exclusive-tesla-scraps-low-cost-150726195.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a> on Friday that Tesla scrapped its plans to make low-cost electric vehicles and will focus on developing robo-taxis.
Reuters, which cited multiple anonymous sources and “company messages,” wrote that Tesla was abandoning its promise to begin producing cheaper EVs as soon as 2025. After the report was published, Tesla’s stock <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-05/tesla-plans-to-cancel-low-cost-ev-reuters-report-says?srnd=all" target="_blank" rel="noopener">dropped</a> by as much as 6.2% before it began to make a small climb back toward where it opened on Friday just shy of $170 per share.
“Reuters is lying (again),” Musk said in reply to a post on his social media platform X.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
Reuters is lying (again)
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1776272471324606778?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Later, Musk reposted a chart showing the decrease in Reuters&#8217; monthly and yearly website traffic.
“Reuters is dying,” the Tesla owner <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1776275139010904525" target="_blank" rel="noopener">wrote</a>.
Since as far back as 2018, billionaire Tesla owner Elon Musk has <a href="https://www.theverge.com/24054854/tesla-next-generation-vehicle-ev-elon-musk" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the company would move into making “a $25,000 car,” which has been called the Model 2. In January, the billionaire entrepreneur added that his company was “very far along” in making an affordable car, Bloomberg <a href="https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2024-04-05/tesla-plans-to-cancel-low-cost-ev-reuters-report-says?srnd=all" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>. Currently, Tesla’s cheapest vehicle, the Model 3, retails for nearly $40,000 in the U.S. while other EVs in its lineup can cost up to $150,000.
Reuters wrote that “Two sources said they learned of Tesla&#8217;s decision to scrap the Model 2 in a meeting attended by scores of employees, with one of them saying the gathering happened in late February.”
“Elon’s directive is to go all in on robotaxi,” one person said, according to the outlet.
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Other car companies, such as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-delays-production-of-new-electric-vehicles-by-years-as-consumers-sour-on-evs" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Ford</a> and <a href="https://www.wsj.com/business/autos/general-motors-gm-q3-earnings-report-2023-5064f4c2" target="_blank" rel="noopener">GM</a>, have recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-to-slash-planned-production-of-its-all-electric-f-150-in-half-citing-changing-market-demand" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scaled back</a> or delayed their plans to produce more EVs as consumer demand has failed to meet expectations while the Biden administration <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/watch-buttigieg-mocks-people-who-dont-want-electric-vehicles" target="_blank" rel="noopener">continues to push</a> Americans to move away from gas-powered cars.
After the Reuters report, Musk also responded with the eyes emoji — often used to draw attention to something — under a post that laid out a potential explanation for the story.
“Elon just said Reuters was lying. However, here is my general thinking. Tesla&#8217;s low-cost $25k car and the Robotaxi were always going to be based on the same platform. They were going to be very similar, but the $25k version was going to have a steering wheel,” wrote Sawyer Merritt, a co-founder of an apparel company.
“Maybe Elon and the team have been so impressed with how good FSD 12 has performed and were maybe thinking they should be shifting even more resources to the Robotaxi/FSD effort,” Merritt added. “This doesn&#8217;t mean the $25k car is canceled. Again, they share the same platform.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
👀
&mdash; Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1776278140333281332?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 5, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

Elon Musk

‘Reuters Is Lying’: Musk Hits Back At Report Claiming Tesla Is Canceling Plans To Make Low-Cost EVs

'Reuters Is Lying': Musk Hits Back At Report Claiming Tesla Is Canceling Plans To Make Low-Cost EVs

Reuters

Tesla

U.S.

Transportation Secretary <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/pete-buttigieg" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Pete Buttigieg</a> mocked Americans this week who do not wish to purchase electric vehicles, comparing them to people who thought in the 2000s that there would only be landline phones.
Buttigieg made the remarks during a Tuesday Fox News interview on &#8220;America&#8217;s Newsroom&#8221; when asked about the struggling electric vehicle market.
&#8220;Tesla sales fell 8.5% the first quarter of this year,&#8221; said co-host John Roberts. &#8220;Ford this week is laying off two thirds of its workforce at the F-150 electric lightning plant. It&#8217;s also scaling back a battery production facility because of sagging sales.&#8221;
&#8220;EV sales are nowhere near what this president wanted or expected, yet the administration continues to shove them down consumers throats,&#8221; he continued. &#8220;Why?&#8221;
Buttigieg claimed that it was &#8220;clear&#8221; that consumers want to purchase EVs as he proceeded to dismiss Tesla&#8217;s slowing numbers.
&#8220;Let&#8217;s be clear that the automotive sector is moving toward EVs, and we can&#8217;t pretend otherwise,&#8221; he claimed. &#8220;Sometimes when these debates happen, I feel like it&#8217;s the early 2000s and I&#8217;m talking to some people who think that we can just have landline phones forever.&#8221;
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WATCH:
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH: Pete Buttigieg mocks Americans who don&#39;t want to be forced into buying electric vehicles:
&quot;I feel like it&#39;s the early 2000s and I&#39;m talking to some people who think that we can just have landline phones forever.&quot; <a href="https://t.co/Pz28FEmfVQ">pic.twitter.com/Pz28FEmfVQ</a>
&mdash; Steve Guest (@SteveGuest) <a href="https://twitter.com/SteveGuest/status/1775288540382847396?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 2, 2024</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
Republican strategist Matt Whitlock responded to the segment by noting the flaw in Buttigieg&#8217;s argument.
&#8220;This is the problem &#8211; Democrats think EV&#8217;s are to gas-powered cars what cell phones were to landlines,&#8221; Whitlock posted on X. &#8220;In reality, EV&#8217;s are to gas powered cars what Fyre Fest was to music festivals. Sounded cool, had potential, but was built on false promises and artificial market forces.&#8221;
Political commentator Noam Blum posted: &#8220;Ok but you actually had reasons why cellphones were better than landlines. What’s your argument in favor of EVs other than &#8216;they’re newer&#8217;?&#8221;
&#8220;Having a landline costs a fraction of a fraction of a fraction of what an electric vehicle costs on average,&#8221; said Fox News contributor Joe Concha.
&#8220;Otherwise, great analogy from the smartest guy in the administration,&#8221; Concha mocked.

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg Holds News Conference To Discuss Impacts Of A Government Shutdown

WATCH: Buttigieg Mocks People Who Don’t Want Electric Vehicles

Biden Administration

Economy

Pete Buttigieg

Oakland, California

Biden Plans To Destroy What’s Left Of The Economy With Ban On Gas Powered Vehicles

Biden Plans To Destroy What's Left Of The Economy With Ban On Gas Powered Vehicles

Automobiles

California

Gavin Newsom

Joe Biden

Opinion

Readers Pass

The Biden administration will likely complete regulations this week designed to punish gas-powered vehicles and pave the way for electric vehicles, whose average cost is roughly more than twice as expensive as average subcompact car.
In its <a href="https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2023-05-05/pdf/2023-07974.pdf">proposed rules</a> published in May 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency wrote that it wanted to target vehicles that would phase-in over model years 2027 through 2032, stating, “EPA finds it appropriate to set new standards for model years after 2026 for both criteria pollutants and GHG at this time, rather than continuing its prior approach of coordinating the standards but setting them in separate regulatory actions.
“It certainly won&#8217;t do anything to improve human health. It won&#8217;t do anything to reduce pollution,” American Energy Institute president and CEO Jason Isaac, <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/biden-admin-finalize-major-gas-car-crackdown-warnings-from-automakers-energy-industry?intcmp=tw_fnc">told</a> Fox News Digital. “We&#8217;ve proven in this country that we&#8217;re already a world leader in clean air. All it&#8217;s going to continue to do is push the costs of electric vehicles on to purchasers of internal combustion engine vehicles. This is purely being done for campaign reasons — to really appease the leftist large donor base that are the climate alarmists that are driving this movement towards really what is a forced energy transition, which is just increasing the cost of everything.”
“President Biden has been clear since 2020 that he intends to use his federal agencies, and the State of California, to eliminate sales of new gas cars,” American Fuel &amp; Petrochemical Manufacturers president and CEO Chet Thompson added. “While multiple administration policies push us toward this end, the EPA&#8217;s passenger vehicle standards will do most of the damage on their own — requiring approximately 70% of new car sales to be electric in less than eight years. This policy is bad for consumers, the economy and national security. It will sacrifice our hard-won U.S. energy strength for even greater dependence on China and the EV battery and mineral supply chain China controls.”
“In 2022, California finalized the Advanced Clean Cars II rule that will require, by 2035, all new light-duty vehicles sold in the state to be zero-emission vehicles, with New York, Massachusetts, and Washington state following suit, likely to be followed by Oregon and Vermont as well,” the EPA wrote. “Several other states may adopt similar provisions as members of the International Zero-Emission Vehicle Alliance.”
“For light-duty vehicles, EPA is proposing standards that would increase in stringency each year over a six-year period, from MYs 2027–2032,” the EPA stated. “The proposed standards are projected to result in an industry-wide average target for the light-duty fleet of 82 grams/mile (g/mile) of CO2 in MY 2032, representing a 56 percent reduction in projected fleet average GHG emissions target levels from the existing MY 2026 standards.”
“EPA is proposing more stringent emissions standards for criteria pollutants for both light-duty and medium-duty vehicles for MYs 2027– 2032,” the agency wrote, adding:
<blockquote>
For light-duty vehicles, EPA is proposing non-methane organic gases (NMOG) plus nitrogen oxides (NOX) standards that would phase-down to a fleet average level of 12 mg/mi by MY 2032, representing a 60 percent reduction from the existing 30 mg/mi standards for MY 2025 established in the Tier 3 rule in 2014. For medium- duty vehicles, EPA is proposing NMOG+NOX standards that would require a fleet average level of 60 mg/ mi by MY 2032, representing a 66 percent to 76 percent reduction from the Tier 3 standards of 178 mg/mi for Class 2b vehicles and 247 mg/mi for Class 3 vehicles. EPA is proposing cold temperature (¥7 °C) NMOG+NOX standards for light- and medium-duty vehicles to ensure robust emissions control over a broad range of operating conditions. For both light-duty and all medium- duty vehicles, EPA is proposing a particulate matter (PM) standard of 0.5 mg/mi and a requirement that the standard be met across three test cycles, including a cold temperature (¥7 °C) test.
</blockquote>

President Joe Biden

Biden Administration Set To Complete Regulations Targeting Gas-Powered Vehicles

Oil and Gas

Transportation

President Joe Biden is reportedly preparing to ease its push to force electric vehicles onto American consumers as <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/hertz-dumping-tens-of-thousands-of-electric-vehicles-replacing-them-with-gas-vehicles">consumer demand for the vehicles remains low</a>, dealerships have <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/3700-u-s-auto-dealers-push-biden-to-scrap-unrealistic-ev-mandate-low-demand-even-with-incentives">expressed serious concerns</a>, and automakers have had to <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-cuts-production-of-electric-truck-they-touted-as-the-future-hiring-hundreds-to-build-more-gas-vehicles">cut production and revamp production of gas vehicles</a>.
The New York Times <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2024/02/17/climate/biden-epa-auto-emissions.html?smtyp=cur&amp;smid=tw-nytimes">reported</a> that the move was a &#8220;concession to automakers and labor unions&#8221; from the administration as it was forcing &#8220;limits on tailpipe emissions&#8221; to force Americans to switch from gas-powered cars to more expensive electric vehicles — which often have performance issues in adverse weather conditions. The serious lack of charging stations, and the time it takes to recharge electric vehicles, are among other top complaints from consumers.
&#8220;Instead of essentially requiring automakers to rapidly ramp up sales of electric vehicles over the next few years, the administration would give car manufacturers more time, with a sharp increase in sales not required until after 2030,&#8221; the report said, noting that the change will likely be officially rolled out in the next few months.
Former President Donald Trump has slammed Biden&#8217;s &#8220;ridiculous all Electric Car Hoax,&#8221; saying that communists in the Biden administration were the ones who were behind Biden&#8217;s green agenda. &#8220;Within 3 years, all of these cars will be made in China,&#8221; Trump added
In a separate post, Trump said that Michigan would lose the auto industry if Biden&#8217;s &#8220;crazed concept of ‘all Electric Cars’ goes into effect.&#8221;
Trump said that if Biden&#8217;s mandate continues to that the auto industry in the U.S. will &#8220;cease to exist&#8221; with China taking over all manufacturing of electric vehicles.
“Vote for TRUMP, and I will stop this Madness, IMMEDIATELY!” he said. “Mexico &amp; Canada LOVE Biden’s idiotic policy. SAVE MICHIGAN and the other Auto States. SAVE THE AMERICAN CONSUMER!!!”
Related: <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-cuts-production-of-electric-truck-they-touted-as-the-future-hiring-hundreds-to-build-more-gas-vehicles">Ford Cuts Production Of Electric Truck They Touted As The Future; Hiring Hundreds To Build More Gas Vehicles</a>

New Cars Showcased At L.A. Auto Show

Biden Admin Backing Away From Aggressive Push For Electric Vehicles As Consumer Demand Remains Low

Less than a year after Ford announced it would increase production of the all-electric F-150 Lightning, the motor company has reportedly decided to cut that projected boost in half beginning in 2024. 
Earlier this year, Ford planned to produce around 3,200 F-150 Lightinings per week at its Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan, which assembles all of the electric pickup trucks produced by Ford. Beginning in January, however, Ford will drop its production of the F-150 Lightning down to 1,600 per week, CNBC <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/amp/2023/12/11/f-150-lightning-ford-cuts-2024-production-plans-in-half.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>, citing a source familiar with the decision.  
A memo sent to suppliers and obtained by <a href="https://www.autonews.com/manufacturing/ford-cutting-f-150-lightning-ev-production-half-memo-says" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Automotive News</a> said the EV production cuts are due to “changing market demand.” A Ford spokesman simply told CNBC that the company would “continue to match production with customer demand.&#8221; 
The reported cuts come in the wake of Ford slashing $12 billion in EV investments as the motor company struggles to sell its all-electric vehicles to consumers who still appear to have concerns about transitioning from gas to electric, especially as retail prices for most EVs remain high. 
So far, Ford has sold more than 20,000 F-150 Lightnings this year, up 54% from last year, according to CNBC. The increase in sales was bolstered by the motor company’s decision to slash the F-150 Lightning’s price by $10,000 over the summer, meaning the most affordable version of the truck is now $50,000. Meanwhile, drivers can purchase a gas-powered F-150 SuperCrew for around <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-slashes-f-150-lightning-ev-production-to-match-customer-demand-164345409.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">$40,000</a>. 
Ford’s planned cuts to EV production also come on the tail end of a $9.2 billion loan from the Biden administration intended to help construct three electric vehicle battery plants as the federal government under Biden continues to push American companies and consumers toward electric alternatives in the name of fighting climate change. 
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Ford has <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-loses-billions-on-electric-cars-embraces-hybrids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">projected</a> it will lose $4.5 billion on EVs this year, and the motor company said it lost around $32,000 for every EV it sold during the second quarter of 2023. Ford is also delaying production at a battery plant in <a href="https://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-slashes-f-150-lightning-ev-production-to-match-customer-demand-164345409.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Kentucky</a> and significantly reduced its commitment to a battery plant in <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/whitmer-orders-all-state-government-vehicles-to-be-100-electric-days-after-signing-extreme-green-energy-bill" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Michigan</a>, cutting 800 jobs and more than $1 billion.

Ford F-150 Lightning

Ford To Slash Planned Production Of Its All-Electric F-150 In Half Citing ‘Changing Market Demand’

Business

Energy

Ford Motor Co.

Trucks

Michigan state government agencies must move to 100% “zero-emission” vehicles (ZEVs) by 2040, per an executive order signed by Democratic Governor <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/gretchen-whitmer" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Gretchen Whitmer</a> on Tuesday.
Whitmer’s order requires state agencies to shift the state government’s fleet of around <a href="https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/dtmb/Law-and-Policies/Legislative-Reports/FY2021/2021_Fleet_Plan.pdf?rev=f9a5c6589b5e492f8f92af8ea6eb3150" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9,000 vehicles</a> to electric beginning with light-duty cars by 2033 and moving on to medium- and heavy-duty vehicles by 2040. The governor’s directive came just a week after she <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/gretchen-whitmer-signs-one-of-the-nations-most-extreme-green-energy-mandates" target="_blank" rel="noopener">signed</a> one of the most extreme green energy bills in the nation, requiring utility providers to transition to completely carbon-free energy generation by the end of the next decade.
“Michigan is on the cutting-edge of mobility and electrification,” Whitmer’s executive directive <a href="https://content.govdelivery.com/attachments/MIEOG/2023/12/05/file_attachments/2706506/ED%202023-5%20%28signed%29.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">stated</a>. “Our world-leading auto industry is making the switch to electric, and we continue to attract battery, semiconductor, and clean energy investments from other states and nations. We must usher the future of mobility and clean energy into Michigan by winning projects and leading by example in state government.”
“Getting this done will help drive demand of Michigan-made electric vehicles, lower gas and maintenance costs for the state since ZEVs cost far less to fuel and maintain and reduce air and noise pollution in our communities,” Whitmer added in a <a href="https://michiganadvance.com/blog/whitmer-signs-directive-transitioning-the-states-fleet-to-zero-emission-vehicles-by-2040/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">statement</a>.
The executive order was short on details about the cost of transitioning the entire state government’s fleet of vehicles to electric. A 2021 <a href="https://www.michigan.gov/-/media/Project/Websites/dtmb/Law-and-Policies/Legislative-Reports/FY2021/2021_Fleet_Plan.pdf?rev=f9a5c6589b5e492f8f92af8ea6eb3150" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from the Michigan Department of Technology, Management, and Budget stated that the Michigan government has 8,788 on-road vehicles, which include dozens of buses and semi-trucks. Among the state agencies included in Whitmer’s directive is the Michigan State Police, which uses hundreds of coupes and sedans and over 1,000 SUVs for law enforcement.
State agencies can request exemptions from the directive for certain vehicles, but must “offer alternative emission reduction options including hybrids,” according to Whitmer’s press release.
Michigan House Republican Leader Matt Hall slammed Whitmer&#8217;s EV directive, telling The Daily Wire that the Democrats&#8217; EV and green energy push is hurting the automotive industry and hard-working Michiganders.
“Joe Biden and Gretchen Whitmer’s green energy schemes are accelerating the decline of Michigan’s automotive manufacturing industry, and the governor’s decision to replace all of Michigan’s state fleet with electric vehicles is just the latest step on this destructive path,&#8221; Hall said. &#8220;Michigan families have determined that EVs are too expensive and unreliable for them, which is why these vehicles are just sitting on car lots around the state.&#8221;
Whitmer said the switch to EVs will help Michigan car manufacturers that are rapidly moving to EV production as the Biden administration pushes American car companies and consumers to get on board with its <a href="https://www.whitehouse.gov/briefing-room/statements-releases/2023/04/17/fact-sheet-biden-harris-administration-announces-new-private-and-public-sector-investments-for-affordable-electric-vehicles/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">plan</a> to have “50 percent of all new vehicle sales be electric by 2030.” Of the nearly 9,000 vehicles operated by Michigan state government agencies, only three are electric, according to Whitmer’s communications director Bobby Leddy, The Detroit News <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/local/michigan/2023/12/05/gov-whitmer-directs-state-govt-vehicle-fleet-to-go-electric/71813588007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">reported</a>.
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The governor’s executive directive is on par with her push for Michigan car manufacturers to embrace EVs as the future of transportation. In February, Whitmer <a href="https://www.michigan.gov/whitmer/news/press-releases/michigan-won-2500-jobs-3-billion-investment-from-ford-facility-in-marshall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> plans for an EV battery plant in Marshall, Michigan, saying it is “expected to create 2,500 good-paying jobs” while helping “support Ford’s goal of producing two million electric vehicles annually by 2026.”
That plan, however, came to a screeching halt in September when Ford <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/business/autos/ford/2023/09/25/ford-motor-company-electric-vehicle-battery-plant-marshall-pausing/70963467007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">paused</a> the construction of the Marshall battery plant. Now, Ford says it&#8217;s <a href="https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/ford/2023/11/21/ford-marshall-electric-vehicle-battery-plant-reduce-plans-jobs/71664207007/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">scaling back</a> its commitment to the Marshall plant, cutting 800 jobs and over $1 billion.
Ford, one of Michigan’s “big three” car manufacturers, recently <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-gets-9-2-billion-loan-from-biden-admin-for-ev-battery-factories-biggest-check-since-2009-bailouts" target="_blank" rel="noopener">received</a> a $9.2 billion loan from the Biden administration intended to help construct three electric vehicle battery plants — none of which are in Michigan — after the motor company projected the EV push would cost it $3 billion in 2023. That projection was <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-loses-billions-on-electric-cars-embraces-hybrids" target="_blank" rel="noopener">bumped up</a> to $4.5 billion in losses over EVs a few months later, meaning Ford lost around $32,000 for every EV it sold during the second quarter of 2023.
“Democrats’ artificially accelerated shift to EVs will eliminate Michigan jobs at existing factories,&#8221; Hall told The Daily Wire. &#8220;And their mandates for unreliable green energy will lead to higher electricity prices on manufacturers — imposing additional costs on Michigan’s automotive industry that will kill more Michigan jobs and move more manufacturing overseas.”

Gretchen Whitmer

Whitmer Orders All State Government Vehicles To Be 100% Electric Days After Signing Extreme Green Energy Bill

Michigan

Politics

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, &#8220;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.&#8221;
The dealerships said they&#8217;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 &#8220;deep price cuts, manufacturer incentives, and generous government incentives,&#8221; the letter said.
&#8220;Mr. President, no government agency, no think tank, and no polling firm knows more about the automobile customer than us,&#8221; it continued. &#8220;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.&#8221;
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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 &#8220;dramatic loss of range&#8221; when towing.
&#8220;Reliable charging networks, electric grid stability, sourcing of materials, and many other issues need time to resolve,&#8221; the letter said. &#8220;And finally, many people just want to make their own choice about what vehicle is right for them.&#8221;
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.”
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-width="500" data-dnt="true">
WATCH: <a href="https://twitter.com/DanaPerino?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@DanaPerino</a> and <a href="https://twitter.com/BryanLlenas?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@BryanLlenas</a> 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.” <a href="https://t.co/Tqx3T5TsXc">pic.twitter.com/Tqx3T5TsXc</a>
&mdash; Conservative War Machine (@WarMachineRR) <a href="https://twitter.com/WarMachineRR/status/1729542802671837582?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 28, 2023</a></blockquote>
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President Biden Delivers Remarks On Strengthening Supply Chains

3,700+ U.S. Auto Dealers Push Biden To Scrap ‘Unrealistic’ EV Mandate: Low Demand Even With Incentives

Executive

New Jersey officials announced Tuesday that the state would be joining a growing list of Democrat-led states slated to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035.
New Jersey becomes at least the <a href="https://ww2.arb.ca.gov/our-work/programs/advanced-clean-cars-program/advanced-clean-cars-ii">17th state</a> to follow some or all of California’s Advanced Clean Cars II rule that was passed by a regulatory board in the summer of 2022. Democratic Governor Phil Murphy said the move will help “lower emissions and improve air quality,” claiming that the new rule will also “preserve consumer choice.” 
“The steps we take today to lower emissions will improve air quality and mitigate climate impacts for generations to come, all while increasing access to cleaner car choices,” Murphy <a href="https://nj.gov/governor/news/news/562023/approved/20231121a.shtml">said</a> in a press release. &#8220;Indeed, together with my Administration’s continuing investments in voluntary electric vehicle incentives, charging infrastructure, and the green economy, these new standards will preserve consumer choice and promote affordability for hardworking New Jerseyans across the state.”
The Garden State joins California, Vermont, Washington, Oregon, Massachusetts, Virginia, Rhode Island, Maryland, and Connecticut in committing to implement the complete ban on new gas-powered vehicles, The Hill <a href="https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/4323323-new-jersey-gas-ev/">reported</a>. The ban will not affect gas-powered vehicles already owned or the sale of used gas-powered vehicles. 
Murphy’s decision was hailed by fellow Democrats, including Rep. Frank Pallone Jr., who said the ban would help fight the “climate crisis.” 
“This rule will reduce climate pollution while also saving New Jerseyans money at the pump and spurring investments in building clean cars right here at home,” Pallone Jr. added. “Paired with the investments in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, New Jersey’s action will accelerate the process of transforming our transportation sector for the benefit of public health and the environment.”
Not everyone was pleased with the state’s adoption of the gas-powered vehicle ban, however. 
“Automotive retailers, which have already invested billions in electric vehicles … warned that a heavy-handed mandate will not work for the dealers — especially with unsold EVs piling up on lots all around the country,” said Ray Cantor of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association, which has lobbied against the rule. 
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The push for electric vehicles has also been strongly supported by the Biden administration even as manufacturers such as Ford have lost money on their EV production. Ford <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-gets-9-2-billion-loan-from-biden-admin-for-ev-battery-factories-biggest-check-since-2009-bailouts">received</a> a $9.2 billion loan from the Biden administration intended to help construct three electric vehicle battery plants in the U.S. The Motor company <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/ford-loses-billions-on-electric-cars-embraces-hybrids">said</a> in July that it expected to lose $4.5 billion from its EVs this year.

Phil Murphy

New Jersey Joins Growing List Of States Banning Sale Of New Gas-Powered Cars

Cars

Democrats

New Jersey

<a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/general-motors" target="_blank" rel="noopener">General Motors</a> and the United Auto Workers union reached a tentative agreement on Monday that increases wages for workers following six weeks of <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/topic/strike" target="_blank" rel="noopener">strikes</a> at GM facilities around the country. 
The deal with GM followed other deals with Ford and Stellantis after the union representing workers for the automobile companies <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/autoworkers-strike-expands-ahead-of-expected-appearances-from-trump-biden" target="_blank" rel="noopener">demanded higher pay</a> as well as “economic and social justice.” Members of the union must still vote to accept the terms of the agreement before it can be officially implemented. 
“The UAW reached a historic tentative agreement with General Motors that paves the way for a just transition and wins record economic gains for autoworkers,” the union <a href="https://uaw-newsroom.prgloo.com/press-release/uaw-reaches-a-tentative-agreement-with-general-motors-bringing-ultium-cells-workers-into-master-agreement" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> in a statement. “Like the agreements with Ford and Stellantis, the GM agreement has turned record profits into a record contract.”
The agreement, which would be in place through April 2028, will factor in cost of living increases, which have jumped as food and transportation inflation have hit record highs during the Biden administration. 
“The agreement grants 25% in base wage increases through April 2028, and will cumulatively raise the top wage by 33% compounded with estimated COLA [cost of living allowances] to over $42 an hour. The starting wage will increase by 70% compounded with estimated COLA, to over $30 an hour,” the union said. 
GM Chair and CEO Mary Barra <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/30/business/economy/gm-uaw-contract-deal.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a> the company &#8220;is pleased to have reached a tentative agreement with the UAW that reflects the contributions of the team while enabling us to continue to invest in our future and provide good jobs in the U.S.”
GM has <a href="https://www.cnbc.com/2023/10/30/gm-uaw-tentative-agreement-labor-strike.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">lost</a> an estimated $800 million during the lengthy strike.
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The strike gained the attention of leading 2024 presidential candidates, including President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump. Biden, who previously spoke to workers in Michigan, praised the deal with GM, saying that it rewards “autoworkers who gave up much to keep the industry working and going during the global financial crisis more than a decade ago.”
During a September speech before autoworkers in Clinton Township, Michigan, <a href="https://www.dailywire.com/news/trump-blasts-bidens-economic-policies-in-appeal-to-michigan-voters-sending-auto-workers-to-the-unemployment-line" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Trump blasted</a> Biden’s economic and environmental policies, taking aim at Biden’s aggressive push to “transition” the U.S. from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles. 
“You can be loyal to American labor or you can be loyal to the environmental lunatics,” Trump <a href="https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/politics/2023/09/27/donald-trump-returns-auto-industry-strike-uaw-ev-taking-center-stage-presidential-election-joe-biden/70960155007/">said</a>. “But you can’t really be loyal to both. It’s one or the other.”
“The auto industry is being assassinated,” Trump added. “If you want to buy an electric car, that’s absolutely fine. I’m all for it. But we should not be forcing consumers to buy electric vehicles they don’t want to buy.”

GM Reaches Tentative Agreement With UAW Ending Six-Week Strike

Tentative Deal Reached Between General Motors And UAW After GM Loses Estimated $800 Million

Donald Trump

General Motors

strike

A comprehensive <a href="https://www.texaspolicy.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/2023-10-TrueCostofEVs-BennettIsaac.pdf">new study</a> of electric vehicles found that the total cost of running them, when government subsidies are factored in, is significantly higher than commonly believed.
Brent Bennett and Jason Isaac issued their report for the Texas Public Policy Foundation, pointing out that advocates for electric vehicles claim the vehicles require lower maintenance and lower fueling costs than traditional vehicles, and future reductions in battery prices will make EVs less expensive.
But, they argue, “no one has attempted to calculate the full financial benefit of the wide array of direct subsidies, regulatory credits, and subsidized infrastructure that contribute to the economic viability of EVs.”
They give evidence that “the average model year (MY) 2021 EV would cost $48,698 more to own over a 10-year period without $22 billion in government favors given to EV manufacturers and owners. &#8230; Adding the costs of the subsidies to the true cost of fueling an EV would equate to an EV owner paying $17.33 per gallon of gasoline. And these estimates do not include the hundreds of billions more in subsidies in the Inflation Reduction Act (2022) for various aspects of the EV supply chain, particularly for battery manufacturing.”
“Nearly $22 billion in federal and state subsidies and regulatory credits suppressed the retail price of EVs in 2021 by an average of almost $50,000,” the authors note. “Car lots are swelling with unsold EVs and the Ford Motor Company is losing over $70,000 on each EV it currently sells.&#8221;
“When we pay for a gallon of gasoline, we are paying for the entire infrastructure to refine, transport, and market that gasoline,” they point out. “When an EV owner connects to the electric grid, how much are they paying for the extra generation, transmission, and distribution costs that they are imposing on the grid, and will those embedded costs rise over time?”
They conclude: “The stark reality for proponents of EVs and for the dreamers in the federal government, who are using fuel economy regulations to force manufacturers to produce ever more EVs, is that the true cost of an EV is in no way close to a comparable ICEV [internal combustion engine vehicle]. Our conservative estimate is that the average EV accrues $48,698 in subsidies and $4,569 in extra charging and electricity costs over a 10-year period, for a total cost of $53,267, or $16.12 per equivalent gallon of gasoline. Without increased and sustained government favors, EVs will remain more expensive than ICEVs for many years to come.”
This article has been revised for emphasis and clarity.

Japan Mobility Show

Study: ‘True Costs’ Of Electric Vehicles Far Higher Than Most Believe

Study: 'True Costs' Of Electric Vehicles Far Higher Than Most Believe

Gasoline

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