What a Kamala Harris presidency could mean for electric vehicles

Written by ABC AUDIO on August 16, 2024

(WASHINGTON) — On the road to the 2024 presidential election, Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump’s views on electric vehicles (EVs) have offered two different visions of America’s automotive future.

Harris has been vocally supportive of the administration’s push to expand access and manufacturing of EVs in the U.S., while Trump has pledged to undo those policies.

Earlier this week, however, Trump appeared to soften his staunch anti-EV views when he spoke to Tesla CEO Elon Musk on X.

“You do make a great product,” Trump said to Musk, referring to Tesla vehicles. “That doesn’t mean everybody should have an electric car, but these are minor details … your product is incredible.”

Before his conversation with Musk, the former president had maintained that electric vehicle production and sustainable energy sources are bad for the economy. He has vowed on “day one” to repeal the Biden-Harris administration’s sustainable energy policies in favor of domestic oil production.

“I will end the electric-vehicle mandate on day one, thereby saving the U.S. auto industry from complete obliteration,” Trump told the audience at the Republican National Convention in July.

Biden-Harris pro-EV policies

While there is no federal electric vehicle mandate, the Biden-Harris administration has issued regulations calling on automakers to reduce emissions produced by their fleets, including by producing more electric and hybrid vehicles.

The administration’s 2022 Inflation Reduction Act – which Harris cast the tie-breaking vote to pass in Congress – marks the largest climate investment in United States history.

The legislation aims to reduce U.S. carbon emissions by 40% by 2030 and channels $370 billion into wind, solar, battery and electric vehicle production over the next 10 years.

Through the Inflation Reduction Act, candidate Harris has advocated for substantial investments in domestic electric vehicle car manufacturing, including funding for charging stations, and offering consumer incentives to buy EVs.

In May, Harris traveled to Detroit, Michigan, where she announced $100 million for small- and medium-sized auto manufacturers to upgrade their facilities for EV production.

“This investment will help to keep our auto supply chains here in America,” Harris said then, “which strengthens America’s economy overall and will keep those jobs here in Detroit.”

If elected, Harris is expected to continue advocating for eco-friendly fuel and emissions standards, increase funding for research and development for EV technology, and focus on leveraging EV industry growth to create more jobs.

An ABC News request to the Harris campaign for comment about their EV plans was not immediately returned.

EV sales impact on economy, climate

More Americans are starting to embrace EVs. Sales of electric cars and trucks last year totaled 1.4 million in 2023, up from 1 million in 2022, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm announced in January.

“The progress that’s been made is phenomenal,” Albert Gore III, executive director of the nonprofit coalition Zero Emission Transportation Association, told ABC News. “The United States has been a leader in electric vehicle manufacturing and also has really been a leader in a lot of good policymaking with regard to investment in every part of the EV and battery supply chain.”

Gore also noted that electric vehicles can have a significant impact on the economy, saying, “There’s a huge amount of opportunity.”

The industrial Midwest, Southwest and Southeast already have seen investment and job opportunities in the production of minerals and battery components for EVs. Georgia, Nevada, Texas, Ohio and Kansas have grown as domestic hubs for battery manufacturing, while Georgia, Tennessee, Ohio and Arizona have risen as leaders in EV manufacturing.

“So a lot of really exciting economic opportunity in these places, and oftentimes it’s multiple parts of the supply chain,” Gore added.

Last month, the Biden administration awarded nearly $2 billion in grants to General Motors, Stellantis and other automakers to expand electric vehicle manufacturing in eight states, including key election swing states Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia.

“It’s really important that we create a transportation system where our cars are made by union workers with good jobs, which we’re starting to do courtesy of the Biden-Harris Inflation Reduction Act,” Craig Segall, former deputy executive officer of the California Air Resources Board and current vice president of Evergreen Action, a nonprofit climate change advocacy group, told ABC News.

“We must stabilize the climate and America should lead that effort,” Segall added.

Segall believes a Harris-Walz White House promises a continuation of the Biden administration’s push for EV manufacturing, and a chance to further those goals.

“When I think about what we could have at the end of her first term, I think we’re talking about much clearer skies and much healthier communities,” Segall said.

Because they have zero emissions, electric vehicles typically have a smaller carbon footprint than gasoline cars, even when accounting for the electricity used for charging, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.

Obstacles to EV sales in the U.S.

Despite the push by carmakers and government officials, the EV market in the U.S. is still small compared to sales of gas-powered vehicles. Of the roughly 286 million cars on the road in 2023, just 9.3% were electric vehicles, according to Experian Automotive’s Market Trends report.

“The EV market is currently going through a bit of a rough patch,” Jessica Caldwell, head of insights at Edmunds, told ABC News.

Caldwell explained that consumers’ hesitancy to buy electric vehicles largely surrounds the charging infrastructure, range, prices, and battery longevity.

“In order for its buyer base to evolve from early adopters to mainstream consumers, EVs will likely rely on continued government support to hit volume sales targets across all brands,” Caldwell said. “Even with the enthusiastic backing of a fresh presidential administration, enacting such a dramatic shift in the vehicle market is a massive undertaking and the politically charged rhetoric surrounding EVs will likely place extra pressure on any new policy decisions.”

In order to combat consumer hesitancy, electric vehicles need to be offered at every price range, according to Alan Jenn, an assistant professor at the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies.

“In order to see EVs get even more mainstream than they are now, we want to see a larger release of vehicles in segments that are more affordable,” Jenn told ABC News.

The average transaction price for electric cars in June 2024 was $56,371 versus gas-powered vehicles at $48,644, according to Kelley Blue Book.

Segall believes a Harris presidency could bring federal investments and further tax credits to lower the costs of EVs.

Currently, the government offers tax credits up to $7,500 for eligible new electric vehicles and up to $4,000 for eligible used electric vehicles, according to the Department of Energy.

“They’re really well placed to stop paying for gas forever right now, and that’s only going to be a better story,” Segall said.