Vice President Kamala Harris asserts that she will not confiscate your gas-powered vehicle. “Contrary to my opponent’s claims, I will never dictate what kind of car you must drive,” the Democratic presidential candidate recently stated to an audience in Michigan. However, during her tenure in the Senate, she co-sponsored the Zero-Emission Vehicles Act of 2019, which aimed to eliminate the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2040. Additionally, she previously endorsed a policy that would have prohibited gas-powered car sales by 2035, aligning with California’s electric vehicle mandate. This rule requires that electric vehicles comprise 35 percent of automaker sales by 2026, 68 percent by 2030, and 100 percent by 2035.
Supporters of Harris might argue that she has recognized the need for change in her policies while maintaining her core values. However, this defense is challenged by her recent comments on “The View,” where, when asked by host Sunny Hostin what she would have done differently from President Joe Biden, she replied, “there is nothing that comes to mind.” This suggests she may not be entirely forthcoming regarding her stance on gas-powered vehicles. Biden’s Environmental Protection Agency has implemented a tailpipe emissions rule mandating that two-thirds of new car sales be electric by 2032. Similarly, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has introduced a Corporate Average Fuel Economy Standard requiring the same commitment to electric vehicles by that same year. If automakers are barred from selling gasoline-powered cars, consumers will have no choice but to purchase electric vehicles. These Biden policies have resulted in significant financial losses for U.S. automakers, contributing to rising layoffs in the industry as demand for electric vehicles wanes.
Phasing out gas-powered cars is a key component of the initiative to achieve “net zero emissions” by 2050, a goal she has supported as Vice President. She has also stated that low-income and minority communities bear the brunt of pollution from gas-powered vehicles, declaring in 2021, “the pollution from vehicles powered by fossil fuels has long harmed the health of communities around our country — communities overlooked and underserved.” This claim overlooks findings from the Biden-Harris EPA’s own analysis, which shows a significant decrease in air pollution levels from 1970 to 2023, continuing its downward trend during the Biden-Harris administration from 2021 to 2023, as illustrated below.
Independent Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders recently stated on NBC News that Vice President Kamala Harris is not “abandoning” her progressive ideals from the 2020 campaign, but is instead adopting a “pragmatic” approach to win the upcoming election. Essentially, she is tailoring her message to resonate with voters who may not prioritize electric vehicles, hoping to secure their support before returning to her progressive agenda.
American Attitudes Toward Electric Vehicles
Last year, a record 1.2 million U.S. vehicle buyers opted for electric vehicles (EVs), according to Kelley Blue Book estimates. The share of EVs in the U.S. market rose to 7.6%, up from 5.9% in 2022. This surge was largely driven by substantial federal and state tax incentives, which were bolstered by the Democrat-supported Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), with Harris playing a key role in its passage by breaking a Senate tie. However, these tax credits are financed by all taxpayers, including those who do not own electric vehicles. The Tax Foundation projects that the IRA’s energy tax credits will exceed $1 trillion over the next decade, exacerbating the federal budget deficit. Notably, the credits for EVs and related infrastructure are expected to cost around $180 billion, significantly more than originally anticipated.
As familiarity with EV technology grows, interest in ownership appears to be waning, primarily due to concerns about vehicle range and the scarcity of charging stations. Despite Congress allocating $7.5 billion for charging infrastructure, only 7 out of the promised 500,000 stations have been established under the Biden-Harris “National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure” program, raising questions about its effectiveness. Cost factors also deter potential EV buyers, with higher insurance and repair expenses and the significant investment required for home charging setups. The replacement battery alone can cost up to $20,000.
According to the 2024 Mobility Consumer Index, only 34 percent of U.S. consumers plan to purchase an electric vehicle—either fully electric or hybrid—for their next vehicle, down from 48% the previous year. Many of these potential buyers are likely part of two-car households. In Norway, where electric vehicles are plentiful, they often coexist with gas-powered cars, benefitting from a grid largely powered by hydroelectric energy and significant government subsidies funded by a robust sovereign wealth fund derived from oil and gas revenues.
A study by the Texas Public Policy Foundation examined how regulatory credits, hidden costs, and subsidies mask the true expenses of electric vehicles, concluding that EVs are far from competitive without extensive financial support. The study revealed that direct state and federal subsidies for electric vehicles average around $8,984 per vehicle over a decade. Additional findings from the Texas analysis, largely attributed to Biden-Harris policies on electric vehicles, include:
- The cost of producing electric vehicles is far higher than the prices they are being sold for. Nearly $22 billion in federal and state subsidies and regulatory credits suppressed the retail price of EVs in 2021 by an average of almost $50,000.
- Due to an unlawful multiplier, EVs receive nearly seven times more credits under federal fuel efficiency programs than they provide in actual fuel economy benefits.
- Regulatory credits with bonus EV multipliers from federal fuel efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions standards and state EV sales mandates provide an average of $27,881 in benefits per vehicle for producers of EVs.
- Home and public charging stations used by EVs put a significant strain on the electric grid, resulting in an average of $11,833 in socialized costs per EV over 10 years, which are shouldered by utility ratepayers and taxpayers.
Conclusion
Presidential Candidate Kamala Harris says she is not going to take away your gas-powered cars, but her record indicates otherwise. Most recently she has said she would not change a single policy of President Biden. But Biden’s EPA and NHTSA have mandates to force two-thirds of new car sales to be electric by 2032. If gas cars are not available for purchase, isn’t that the same as eventually taking away your gas car? Is it just semantics or is it as Bernie Sanders says, she will say what she must to get elected, but her progressive values have not changed. Nor will the policies once she takes office as she says she would not change any of President Biden’s policies.
