Manufactures' group pushes back against mandating EVs
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[March 11, 2024]
(The Center Square) – As Gov. J.B. Pritzker continues to push his goal
of having more zero emission vehicles on Illinois roads, one group says
the country is rushing to ban the sales of new gas vehicles.
The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers said federal and state
governments are fast tracking policies to limit consumer choice and end
the availability of new gas cars.
“The fact that consumers in a couple years are literally going to be
robbed of their ability to choose the cars that are most popular and
most meet their needs, that is not something that people are happy
about,” AFPM President and CEO Chet Thompson said.
Pritzker said his goal is to have one million electric vehicles on
Illinois roads by 2030.
“Electric vehicles are going to be commonplace, and we’re going to be at
the head of the line in Illinois for the workforce,” Pritzker said
during a recent ribbon cutting ceremony for an EV training academy in
Normal.
Thompson said President Joe Biden's EV agenda is bad for families, bad
for the economy and bad for U.S. manufacturing jobs and is happening too
fast.
“In a few short years in California, you will absolutely, without
qualification, not be able to buy a car that runs on gas or diesel,”
Thompson said. “That’s 35% of the new car market and the rest of the
country, two-thirds of cars are forced to be electric.”
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EV charging station
Christen Smith | The Center Square
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Currently, there is legislation in Springfield that would have Illinois
adopt California’s tough emission standards, but Pritzker has said he is
opposed to the idea.
Americans have been slow to give up their gas-powered vehicles for EVs.
EV manufacturers, including Tesla and Ford, have been slashing prices to
pick up sales, and General Motors is talking about bringing back plug-in
hybrids, possibly taking a step back from the company's earlier
commitment to shifting straight to pure EVs.
Rivian Automotive, with a plant in Normal, recently announced it was
laying off 10% of its workforce and plans to keep production this year
flat compared to 2023. The company just announced that it was halting
construction of a $5 billion factory in Georgia. Rivian officials said
production of R2 mid-sized SUVs will now be moved to Normal. In 2017,
the company received nearly $50 million in Illinois tax credits to
create jobs in Illinois.
Rivian stock has bounced back to about $12 a share, but still is far off
its all-time high of $28. |