US Utilities Tesla and Uber formed US lobbying group for electric vehicle industry
A group of major U.S. utilities, Tesla, Uber and others, announced Tuesday that they are launching a new group to lobby for national policies to boost sales of electric vehicles.
The new Zero Emission Transportation Association wants to increase incentives for electric vehicles for consumers and encourage the withdrawal of gasoline vehicles. It also calls for stricter emissions and performance standards that will potentially allow full electrification by 2030.
Under President Donald Trump, the White House rejected the new tax credits for electric vehicles because it proposed to remove existing credits and made it easier to sell gas-guzzling vehicles.
President-elect Joe Biden is promising new tax incentives, including new discounts for the purchase of electric vehicles and a dramatic expansion of electric vehicle charging stations – policy measures that automakers have long advocated.
“We can own the electric vehicle market – by building 550,000 charging stations – and creating over a million good jobs here at home – with the federal government investing more in clean energy research,” he said. Biden said Monday.
Biden’s measures are in line with the group’s call for “strong federal investments in charging infrastructure” and its goal of reaching 100 percent electric vehicle sales by 2030.
Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said the group will support “Uber’s work to move 100% of rides to electric vehicles in (US), Canadian and European cities by 2030 and to reach zero emissions by 2040. We will all have to work. together to face the urgent crisis of climate change. “
US automakers sold 326,000 electric vehicles in 2019, representing about 2% of total US auto sales. Tesla sold nearly 60% of the total.
Other members include ConEdison, Duke Energy, PG&E, as well as electric vehicle charging companies like Chargepoint and EVgo, budding automakers like Lordstown Motors, Rivian and Lucid Motors. Also part of Albemarle Corp, the world’s largest producer of lithium for electric vehicle batteries, Piedmont Lithium and Siemens
In September, California Governor Gavin Newsom said the state plans to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered passenger cars and trucks from 2035 as part of a sweeping move to switch to electric vehicles and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
