Biden's Electric Vehicle Delusion

The promise of a utopian future of electric vehicles marches on, most recently with President Joe Biden’s call for half of all new vehicles sold to be electric by 2030, a variation of General Motors’s commitment to phase out gas and diesel engines by 2035 . Leaving aside the affordability and subsidy problems therein, two inconvenient truths make these aspirations delusional.

The first unacknowledged problem is the impact of electric vehicles on suburban power grids, where most EVs will likely end up. Suburban residents are more likely to have private parking spaces that can be equipped with chargers, can typically afford the premium price for the vehicle, and have daily driving habits that fit the typical range limitations of EVs. They are also typically the most conscious of climate change. By contrast, rural and urban drivers, especially those who park on the street, face range and charging challenges. Read Full Article »