Biden Will Sign Order for Half of New Vehicles to Be Electric by 2030

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Last updated on July 18th, 2023 at 01:36 pm

President Joe Biden is expected to sign an order for half of all new vehicles on American roads to be electric or zero-emission by 2030. Biden will be joined at the White House by Ford and GM executives as well as leaders from the United Auto Workers. The executive order will also replace former President Donald Trump’s more relaxed tailpipe and emissions standards with stricter ones in addition to setting the 2030 goal.

“What we’re hearing across the board is a consensus about the direction where this industry is going and a coming together around the recognition that this is the moment of truth — not just for climate action, for economic action, as well,” said a senior Biden administration official who spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity ahead of the announcement.

The big three automakers (GM, Ford, and Stellantis) emphasized that they would need federal help to reach this goal, though they stressed their “commitment to be leaders in the U.S. transition to electric vehicles.”

“This represents a dramatic shift from the U.S. market today that can be achieved only with the timely deployment of the full suite of electrification policies committed to by the administration in the Build Back Better Plan,” the major automakers said in a joint statement that cited purchase incentives, charging stations and federal investments in research, development and supply chains.

Biden took to Twitter to make an official announcement earlier this morning.

“The future of the auto industry is electric –– and made in America,” he wrote.

In addition, the Environmental Protection Agency and the Transportation Department are also posed to propose new requirements on greenhouse gas emissions and fuel efficiency for cars, SUVs and pickup trucks through model year 2026.