Joe Biden uncertain about the future of 100% electric vehicles

The Biden administration is expected to ease regulations regarding the United States’ transition to electric vehicles.

This growing rumor was confirmed this weekend by the always well-informed New York Times, citing three people close to U.S. President Joe Biden.
The modification of the rule proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would implement less strict requirements regarding short-term vehicle pollution, thus allowing automakers to have a lower percentage of their fleet electric in 2030 than initially planned by the Biden administration.

Biden Concedes, Trump and Unions Celebrate

The rule change would be a victory for automakers and unions, giving the industry more time to ramp up electric vehicle production and charging infrastructure. Incidentally, this would be a masterstroke for Donald Trump, firmly opposed to this rushed transition.

The electric vehicle market has expanded in recent years, but not as quickly as some had anticipated. Increasingly, consumers have turned to hybrid cars rather than fully electric vehicles. Electric vehicle sales accounted for only 7% of the market in 2023. These figures are completely disconnected from the initial estimates by the Biden administration, which projected electric vehicles would make up up to two-thirds of sales by 2032.

A Delayed but Not Suspended Transition

A rule change could also ease political concerns from the United Auto Workers union regarding President Biden’s re-election campaign. The union finally endorsed Biden last month after months of political contestation and warnings about moving too quickly to electric vehicles.

Having long outgrown mere rumors, this information is expected to be announced officially soon. It is likely to be accompanied by a more realistic timeline, as there are currently no plans to suspend the transition to a 100% electric future.

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