The Aug. 5 Epoch Times article “Biden Wants Half of All Vehicles Sold in the US by 2030 to Be Zero Emission” [published online] was laughable. The government’s incompetence in attempting to dictate the pace and direction of U.S. product innovation is always a hoot.
While it is encouraging that leaps in vehicle electrification technology continue their impressive record, it’s important to correctly allow our country’s “mobility science” professionals to lead the optimization of product customer value ... versus politicians.
Our remarkable U.S. auto sector product engineering advancements are being completely ignored in order to bow to “green” left-wing political nonsense. Joe Biden’s own EPA website promotes that:“compared to 1970 vehicle models, new cars, SUVs and pickup trucks are roughly 99% cleaner for common pollutants” (EPA website updated April 7, 2021).
During the same time period, car fuel economy has more than doubled, while electric vehicle “driving range anxiety” remains a primary reason customers avoid the purchase.
The “green” recyclability of electric vehicle propulsion systems remains a major environmental concern, while the component recyclability level of internal combustion engines now exceeds 90 percent.
Electricity source background is another key factor to consider, as we are about to plug in our “zero-emission” electric vehicles:
1) The U.S. Energy Information Administration has documented that 62 percent of U.S. electricity is, in fact, generated by fossil fuels (EIA Today in Energy Report – May 11, 2020).
2) The World Coal Association website promotes that “coal-fired power plants currently fuel 37 percent of global electricity ... retaining coal’s position as the single largest source of electricity worldwide” (WCA website updated April 30, 2021).
In summary, a new analysis from IHS Markit notes that “electric vehicle registrations in the U.S. in 2020 reached 1.8 percent market share, their highest level yet, demonstrating increased consumer interest.” Put differently, in today’s free market, over 98 percent of vehicle purchasers are rejecting the current level of product customer value that Joe Biden is selling.
Thomas J. Murphree
Michigan
