David Bridges
The race for the US presidency is nearing its conclusion, with election day approaching on November 5. In this critical phase, Engadget is examining the positions of the candidates, Kamala Harris and Donald Trump, on pivotal technology issues that will shape our future.
While discussions around the environment and climate change are typical during election cycles, the current campaign has uniquely spotlighted the role of electric vehicles (EVs). Traditional cars and trucks contribute significantly to global warming by releasing millions of tons of greenhouse gases annually. Thus, many experts advocate for a shift from conventional combustion engine vehicles to electric ones as a crucial step toward combating climate change. However, it’s important to note that an electric vehicle’s environmental benefits depend heavily on the source of the electricity used for charging. Consequently, the Biden administration has prioritized expanding clean energy initiatives across the US. It is anticipated that Kamala Harris will continue to champion the promotion of EV adoption and advancements in clean energy technology, while Donald Trump has indicated plans to reverse current policies.
Explore Kamala Harris’s Commitment to Electric Vehicles and Clean Energy
Throughout her campaign, Kamala Harris has not unveiled any groundbreaking new policies regarding electric vehicles or clean energy. Her statements have primarily focused on building upon the initiatives established by the Biden administration. Significant investments, such as those from the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act and the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), have directed hundreds of billions of dollars toward developing charging stations, offering tax credits for EV purchases, and supporting the manufacturing of EVs alongside wind and solar energy initiatives.
Earlier in her career, during her tenure as a senator from California and as a participant in the 2020 presidential primary, Harris took a notably assertive stance on the promotion of electric vehicles and clean energy solutions, which became integral to her political persona. She was a strong proponent of the Green New Deal and co-sponsored the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act of 2019, which aimed to ensure that all passenger vehicles sold in the United States would be zero emissions by 2040. This legislative effort highlighted her commitment to addressing climate change through innovative transportation solutions.
Although Harris has moderated some of her previous proposals, she remains a vigorous advocate for utilizing federal resources to enhance EV and clean energy infrastructure. Notably, she played a pivotal role as the tie-breaking vote for the IRA, which set ambitious targets to reduce carbon emissions by 40 percent by 2030 and allocated $370 billion for wind, solar, battery, and EV production. While much of the allocated $1.1 trillion from the IRA remains unspent, the administration has accelerated initiatives to deploy these funds ahead of the upcoming election, reflecting a sense of urgency in addressing climate concerns.
The IRA funds have been instrumental in expanding the infrastructure for charging stations, initiating the transition of the USPS to electric delivery vehicles, and increasing the generation of electricity from wind and solar sources. Additionally, investments and tax incentives from the IRA have spurred companies to manufacture more EVs, solar panels, batteries, and related components domestically. This includes the recent announcement of $100 million to assist small- and medium-sized car manufacturers in upgrading their facilities for EV production. Furthermore, Harris and Biden have highlighted the creation of 170,000 jobs in the clean energy sector within just one year of the IRA’s implementation, showcasing the significant economic impact of these initiatives. The administration has also imposed substantial tariffs on imported EVs (100 percent) and solar cells (50 percent) from China to support domestic manufacturing.
A key feature of the legislation includes consumer tax credits aimed at incentivizing the purchase of electric heat pumps, rooftop solar installations, batteries, and EVs. The EV tax credit comes with specific eligibility criteria designed to promote US manufacturing throughout the supply chain. Buyers can only claim this credit if their vehicle is assembled in the US, contains a certain percentage of battery components manufactured in North America, and meets minimum requirements for minerals sourced either domestically or from countries with which the US has a free trade agreement, or that have been recycled in North America. These requirements will progressively increase, with the goal of reaching 100 percent domestic battery components by 2029 and 80 percent of critical minerals by 2027.
Understand Donald Trump’s Approach to Electric Vehicles and Clean Energy
In a rather simplistic view, Donald Trump’s policies surrounding electric vehicles and clean energy can be summarized as a call to dismantle regulations, promoting a “drill, baby, drill” mentality. The former president has consistently expressed intentions to repeal nearly all of the Biden administration’s regulations concerning emissions, fuel standards, and environmental protections. He has also suggested the possibility of eliminating the EV tax credit, a move he attempted and failed to implement during his first term, arguing that it skews the market in favor of the wealthy and increases dependency on China for EV components. Given the stringent price caps and sourcing requirements for eligible vehicles, this argument appears to lack substantial grounding. After receiving the endorsement of Elon Musk, Trump has softened some of his previous anti-EV rhetoric, yet he has not indicated any actual change in his stance on the matter.
Trump has made it clear that he intends to immediately revoke the new fuel efficiency and emissions standards set by the Biden administration. He argues that these efficiency requirements are overly burdensome for gasoline-powered vehicles, effectively mandating that 67 percent of auto sales in the US must be electric vehicles by 2032. This assertion reflects a critical perspective on the feasibility of transitioning the auto industry toward cleaner energy solutions.
Moreover, Trump’s stance on clean energy initiatives is notably skeptical. Neither his platform nor the official Republican Party platform acknowledges the potential of solar energy. Wind energy is mentioned solely in a negative context, criticizing the Biden administration’s so-called “insane wind subsidies” and branding windmills as hazardous and inefficient. The primary focus of Trump’s energy policies revolves around increasing oil and natural gas drilling, along with investing in nuclear power plants. However, it is unlikely that he would seek to entirely dismantle the IRA’s clean energy and EV initiatives, as these programs often lead to job creation in Republican-leaning states.
Overall, Donald Trump exhibits a general skepticism towards the realities of climate change and the need for measures to mitigate human impact on the environment. He has reiterated his commitment to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accord and has advocated for the construction of hundreds of new power plants, including coal, hydro, and nuclear facilities, while notably excluding wind and solar energy from his vision for American energy independence.
Brandon Fletcher
