More than 150 House Republicans have asked the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cancel its proposed emission standards, asserting that they would impose higher costs on consumers, isolate Americans in rural areas, and increase economic dependence on China.
“EPA estimates that the proposed standards would lead to electric vehicles (EVs) accounting for 67 percent of new light-duty vehicle sales and 46 percent of new medium-duty vehicle sales in the United States by model year 2032.”
According to the lawmakers, these figures are problematic because of how far they are from the current market share of 4.5 percent. The letter alleges that the EPA standards “deliberate market manipulation to prop up EVs.”
“Furthermore, a rapid shift towards EVs would benefit only the Chinese Communist Party (CCP), as China has a stranglehold on the critical minerals supply chain and manufacturing of EV batteries.”
An EPA spokesperson told The Epoch Times, “EPA has received the letter and will review and respond accordingly.”
According to the House Republicans, China currently controls between 50 and 70 percent of the global lithium and cobalt refining that are necessary for EV batteries, and any major shift toward EVs would result in an increased dependence on the communist nation.
The group also asserted that EVs don’t necessarily reduce emissions: “Specifically, over its lifetime, an EV only has lower emissions than an internal combustion engine vehicle if it travels between 28,069 and 68,160 miles and remains in service for more than 10 years—circumstances which are not being realized today.”
The most egregious issue with the EPA standards that the lawmakers note is the fact that “the proposed standards would make life harder and even more unaffordable for Americans and their families.”
“According to Kelley Blue Book, the average price of an EV is $65,291, which is $17,197 more than the average price of an internal combustion engine vehicle. Insurance for electric cars costs $206 per month on average, which is $44 more per month than insuring a gas-powered car,” the letter reads.
The lawmakers state that Americans shouldn’t be forced to pay an “excessive amount for a car they do not want and cannot afford,” pointing additionally to EVs’ shorter driving range and how that would affect Americans who live in rural areas and must drive greater distances.
“Given that the recent EPA announcement was only a proposal, we strongly urge you to rescind this ill-considered effort,” the letter reads. “Americans want the ability to choose the vehicle that best meets their needs, that is reliable, and that they can afford—not be forced into buying an EV.”
