Electric vehicles have always furthered environmental stewardship. There’s no exhaust, no noise, and no oil—just a clean, efficient ride to your destination.
This Earth Day, electric vehicles are on the precipice of mainstream adoption. Dozens of new electric models are coming to market, 71% of Americans are considering an electric vehicle for their next automotive purchase or lease, and $7.5 billion in new federal infrastructure funding is being allocated toward building out electric vehicle charging ports over the next decade. That’s good news for all Americans, even if they never get behind the wheel of an EV, because the ascendent EV sector will create millions of jobs and prevent $1.3 trillion in health and environmental costs in the coming decades.
The tide is turning toward a clean transportation future, but we need the Biden Administration and Congress to take action. Legislation is ready and waiting that will invest in clean energy and electric vehicles to make this transition a true American success story where everyone is better off.
There is bipartisan excitement for smart policies designed to increase the adoption of electric vehicles. An overwhelming 79% of voters support providing consumer incentives that would reduce the purchase price of electric vehicles, and a bipartisan 59% of voters believe that increasing electric vehicle adoption will have a positive impact on jobs and the economy.
Despite the public’s strong support, the Biden Administration and Congress have yet to pass the popular legislative policies to help get this done: like the light-, medium-, and heavy-duty electric vehicle consumer incentives, expanded tax credits to further deploy electric vehicle charging, and investments in domestic battery manufacturing.
Most people who buy an electric vehicle never go back to gas-powered vehicles. Driving one is not only an experience in the present, it’s a window into what the future could be—for everyone. This Earth Day, ZETA is celebrating the fantastic strides its members have made in expanding the scope and reach of zero-emission technologies, which directly reduce pollution and protect public health.
But we are also doubling down to fight for a future where everyone can enjoy the environmental, public health, and economic benefits of widespread transportation electrification. The Biden Administration and Congress must do more.