Trump Revokes Biden’s 50% EV Target, Halts Unspent Battery Changing Funds
US President Donald Trump has revoked Biden’s EV target through an executive order dubbed ‘Unleashing American Energy’ on his first day in office. Trump’s order effectively revoked the 2021 executive order signed by Joe Biden to ensure that by 2030, EVs constituted 50% of new vehicles sold in the US.
Although this target was not legally binding, it had garnered support from local and foreign car manufacturers as part of the wider efforts to transition towards green energy, the First Post reported.
Unspent Funds Halted
In his inauguration speech, Trump took a swipe at federal support for EV sales and promised to sight a flurry of executive orders on his day one at the White House.
“The United States will not sabotage our own industries while China pollutes with impunity,” the President said in his speech.
While revoking the Biden EV target, Trump’s executive order also halted the distribution of unspent EV charging funds from the $5 billion fund designated for car charging stations. Trump ended a waiver that was accessible to states that adopted zero emission car rules by 2035. He also said that his administration will consider halting EV tax credits.
Trump’s EV policy orders are part of a wider plan to repeal environmental safeguards introduced by the Biden administration. It’s also part of his strategy to support US companies that manufacture gas-powered vehicles.
Environment Protection Rollbacks
The US President outlined his plan to instruct the country’s Environmental Protection Agency to reconsider regulations that introduce stringent emission rules in the country. Under such rules, vehicle manufacturers will be required to comply with federal emissions regulations by ensuring that up to 56% of their vehicles they sell are EVs by the year 2032.
Trump’s move to revoke Biden’s EV targets is just one of the radical energy and environmental policy actions the new administration plans to take. The President said that he will revoke a set of the auto pollution standards that the Biden administration finalized last spring. Through the new order, Trump wants to repeal the waiver granted to California last month by the environmental watchdog to end the sale of gasoline-only cars by the year 2025. 11 other states have already adopted the rule.
Trump highlighted the need for the EPA to terminate state emissions waivers that put a cap on gasoline car sales. He said the administration will consider doing away with skewed subsidies and any other ill-conceived market distortions imposed by the government that favor electric vehicles over other technologies and mandate their purchase.
Slow EV Growth
The halting of federal funding complicates the country’s efforts to expand EV infrastructure. Currently, the US needs more than 1.2 million public chargers. The country also needs to upgrade its grid system in order to effectively support its projected demand by the year 2030.
By pausing EV funding, the Trump administration could slow this progress and increase costs for private enterprises and state initiatives. Trump’s EV policy shift creates uncertainty in the EV industry. But the growth of this market will likely remain resilient due to action at the state level, rising consumer interest, and global trends. However, this growth may be jeopardized by lack of federal support
Sharp Reactions
Trump’s environmental policy changes have sparked sharp reactions. Critics argue that the changes will have a huge impact on the environment and will slow down the process of decarbonising the transport sector in the US, which is among the highest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions.
“These clean car rollbacks will burden Americans with a Trumpfecta of higher prices, more pollution, and weaker competitiveness. Our kids and everyone with lungs will pay the price for these politically motivated rollbacks of protections for our air and the climate,” Dan Becker of the Center for Biological Diversity said.
