logo
America's deep freeze is a fitting end to Democrats' electric car nightmare

America's deep freeze is a fitting end to Democrats' electric car nightmare

Telegraph14-02-2025

With 90 million people still in the path of the snow and ice storms sweeping across America, motorists can particularly appreciate president Donald J Trump's Day 1 executive order eliminating automobile manufacturers' requirements to sell electric vehicles.
How appropriate that the president signed his executive order on one of the coldest days of the year. Electric vehicles are estimated to lose an average of 20 per cent of their battery range in cold weather. Research has found that, in freezing temperatures, a Tesla Model X (with a heat pump) loses 11 per cent of normal range. A Volkswagen ID.4 loses 37 per cent.
Americans love choice, and drivers want to be able to choose their cars. Eight per cent of cars sold in 2024 were battery-powered electric, but president Joe Biden ordered his Environmental Protection Agency and his Department of Transportation to issue unpopular regulations that could have required the majority of all new passenger cars sold and a quarter of heavy lorries to be battery-powered electric by 2032.
President Trump has promised to undo these regulations and get rid of electric vehicle subsidies for manufacturers and drivers.
Electric cars can run out of power in ice storms. In many areas, the only cars seen on roads in the current spate of snowstorms are sport utility vehicles, pickup trucks, or other four-wheel-drive vehicles.
New York City dropped its electric snowploughs because 'they could not plough the snow effectively' and 'conked out after four hours,' compared with 12 to 24 hours of operation for diesel snowploughs, according to New York Department of Public Sanitation commissioner Jessica Tisch, now New York City police commissioner.
Small businesses and farmers cannot take snow days off, so they rarely work with electric vehicles. That's good – imagine the economic loss of farmers and technicians and small businesses unable to work on snow days because their trucks and tractors 'conked out'.
President Trump plans to end the tax credit of up to $7,500 per car to buy or lease an electric vehicle, passed by Congress in the Inflation Reduction Act. Even with the $7,500 tax credit, car salesmen are not selling enough EVs to meet the mandate. In 2023 and 2024 they wrote to president Biden begging him to 'hit the brakes' on his regulations.
Over 80 per cent of these EV tax credits are claimed by households in the top fifth of the income distribution. Many use the vehicles as second cars for in-town trips, but for longer trips they have a gasoline-powered car.
The electric version of the base version of the Ford 150 pickup truck, the best-selling vehicle in America, costs almost an additional $30,000. Tesla's base prices start at $39,000 for a Model 3 and go up to almost $100,000 for a Model X. A diesel lorry can cost about $120,000; an electric lorry can cost as much as $450,000- $500,000, raising costs of transporting goods for everyone.
Plus, America doesn't even have the electrical grid capacity, the charging stations, or the technology to operate a fleet of EVs and long-haul electric lorries – and won't for quite some time. Vehicle chargers are competing for room on the electric grid with data centres, artificial intelligence technology, and demands for more heating and air conditioning.
Conventional cars can be easily refuelled at the pump in five or 10 minutes, but recharging an electric vehicle can take 45 minutes. If someone is already using the charging station, the wait can double. Most people don't want to let their EV batteries go below 20 per cent, and the charging rate can go down when it is charged over 80 per cent.
Privileged EV owners can recharge cars at home or at work. But not everyone has such facilities. Some live in houses and flats without garages and must rely on public charging stations for their EVs.
Although Congress allocated $5 billion in 2022 to the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Program to build 500,000 charging stations, only 58 are in operation today, according to The Washington Post. Tesla has its own network of charging stations for its cars, but drivers of other vehicles rely on private or government-provided charging stations.
Americans want to be energy-independent, but requirements for EVs make America's transportation network dependent on China, which strengthens the Chinese economy. China makes 80 per cent of the world's electric batteries, and the Chinese car company BYD is the world's largest electric vehicle producer.
In order to produce supplies of batteries for EVs and other components, China is increasing its construction of coal-fired power plants and carbon emissions. America has 204 coal-fired power plants, and China has 1,161 (half of all the coal-fired plants in the world). That's why president Biden's regulations on EVs would not achieve his objective of lowering global temperatures. At least 60 per cent of the electricity used to charge EVs in the US will have come from fossil fuels.
The bottom line is this: while some prefer EVs, others need conventional or hybrid cars for the advantages they offer – especially in snow. With president Trump's new executive orders, everyone will get their choice.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Donald Trump's 'terrifying' order as National Guard descend on LA amid clashes
Donald Trump's 'terrifying' order as National Guard descend on LA amid clashes

Daily Mirror

timean hour ago

  • Daily Mirror

Donald Trump's 'terrifying' order as National Guard descend on LA amid clashes

Donald Trump has called for the National Guard to be deployed in Los Angeles, with the troops soon descending on the city as violent clashes continue to break out President Donald Trump issued a chilling command as tensions escalated in Los Angeles, posting on his Truth Social page that things were "looking really bad" in the city. The 47th POTUS's remarks have sparked outrage from former Vice President Kamala Harris and political commentators who accuse him of inciting fear amid ongoing protests. As clashes between protesters and ICE agents intensify, Trump has instructed National Guard troops to intervene in LA, prompting California Governor Gavin Newsom to brand him a "stone cold liar." Trump's alarming call to action was made clear when he took to Truth Social. His comments have been widely criticised. ‌ ‌ He wrote: "Looking really bad in L.A. BRING IN THE TROOPS!!!" He then doubled down with another post demanding: "ARREST THE PEOPLE IN FACE MASKS, NOW!" Former Vice President Harris has slammed the decision to deploy the National Guard, releasing a statement that criticises Trump's "dangerous escalation" and expresses her dismay at the unrest in her hometown. Harris stated: "Los Angeles is my home. And like so many Americans, I am appalled at what we are witnessing on the streets of our city. Deploying the National Guard is a dangerous escalation meant to provoke chaos." Harris slammed the "recent ICE raids in Southern California and across our nation," as "part of the Trump Administration's cruel, calculated agenda to spread panic and division." She concluded her statement by asserting that the president was "stoking fear". Social media reactions to Harris were mixed, with one supporter enthusing: "If you were our PRESIDENT, we would be at peace right now! The future wouldn't be so scary." However, a critic responded: "This is why you and the party you represent lost. Keep 'em coming. We don't mind taking the midterms." ‌ Amid tensions, California Governor Gavin Newsom implored Vice President J.D. Vance to stop kindling unrest while Trump and Vance commended the National Guard for their efforts, despite their absence from the scene. Governor Newsom retorted on social media: "You didn't even know when your own National Guard was deployed on the ground. Stop fanning the flames." He pledged to arrest and prosecute "bad actors" but vowed to shield the "many, many peaceful protestors" as they exercise a "fundamental right", stressing: "But Donald Trump needs to pull back. He needs to stand down." Newson pointedly placed responsibility, saying: "Donald Trump is inflaming these conditions. This is Donald. Trump's problem right now. And if he can't solve it, we will." The National Guard and Donald Trump are facing a fierce backlash from the public, with one person taking to X to express their anger, writing: "Donald Trump is a weak leader. He does not know how to govern. Little child boy."

Gov. Gavin Newsom is suing Donald Trump for ‘illegally' deploying National Guard to California ICE protests
Gov. Gavin Newsom is suing Donald Trump for ‘illegally' deploying National Guard to California ICE protests

The Independent

timean hour ago

  • The Independent

Gov. Gavin Newsom is suing Donald Trump for ‘illegally' deploying National Guard to California ICE protests

California Governor Gavin Newsom says his state will go to court to stop President Donald Trump from taking control of state National Guard units without cause and using them against protesters opposed to the administration's mass deportation efforts. In a post on X on Monday, Newsom said the violence that has broken out in parts of Los Angeles during three days of weekend protests over Immigrations and Customs Enforcement raids and arrests, leading the president to activate California National Guard units to protect federal property, is 'exactly what Trump wanted.' Newsom accused Trump of having 'flamed the fires and illegally acted to federalize the National Guard' with a memorandum on Saturday in which Trump called the protests 'a form of rebellion against the authority of the Government of the United States' and at least 2,000 soldiers into federal service for the next two months. He also pointed out that the memorandum does not specifically mention California but instead leaves open the possibility of using both National Guard and active duty military to quell protests nationwide. 'It will allow him to go into ANY STATE and do the same thing,' he said. He added: 'We're suing him.' In a separate post late Sunday, Newsom said Trump was 'putting fuel on this fire' by 'commandeering a state's National Guard without consulting the Governor of that state' and called Trump's actions both 'illegal and immoral.' "California will be taking him to court,' he said. It was not immediately clear whether any litigation had been filed in any federal court, but White House spokesperson Abigal Jackson hit back against the California governor's threat in a statement, accusing Newsom of 'feckless leadership' that made him 'directly responsible for the lawless riots and violent attacks on law enforcement in Los Angeles.' 'Instead of filing baseless lawsuits meant to score political points with his left-wing base, Newsom should focus on protecting Americans by restoring law and order to his state,' Jackson added. For his part, Newsom had equally harsh words for Trump and top administration officials during an interview with Los Angeles-based actor turned progressive podcaster Brian Tyler Cohen in which he called Trump 'unhinged' and referred to the White House and Trump's cabinet as a 'band of misfits.'

NY Fed finds moderating inflation expectations in May
NY Fed finds moderating inflation expectations in May

Reuters

timean hour ago

  • Reuters

NY Fed finds moderating inflation expectations in May

June 9 (Reuters) - Americans' anxiety about the future path of inflation eased in May, as they also grew more upbeat about the state of their personal finances, a report released on Monday by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York said. The bank reported in its Survey of Consumer Expectations for May that the outlook for inflation across all the horizons it measures retreated. A year from now, survey respondents see inflation at 3.2% versus 3.6% in April, while three years from now it's seen at 3% versus 3.2%. Five years from now, inflation is projected at 2.6% from the prior month's 2.7%. The report found that survey respondents are expecting moderating price gains for gas, rent, medical care and college, while food costs a year from now are seen rising at a 5.5% rate, the highest mark since October 2023. Meanwhile, in May the year- ahead expected rise in house prices stood at 3%, down from April's 3.3%. The moderation in the outlook for inflation took place against a background of high uncertainty over the future of price pressures. Huge and ever-shifting tax hikes on imports imposed by the Trump administration are broadly expected by economists and policymakers to push up inflation, while depressing hiring and growth. The major question is whether the gain is a one-off or the makings of something more persistent. There's been little clarity on how much those tariffs will impact the economy, especially as President Donald Trump raises and lowers his import levies unpredictably. The survey period for the New York Fed report overlapped some of the biggest shifts on tariffs, and the moderation in May's readings will likely bolster officials' confidence that inflation is not fixing for an extended breakout to higher levels. The Fed is set to meet to deliberate on monetary policy on June 17-18 in a gathering that will almost certainly see the central bank leave its interest rate range steady at between 4.25% and 4.5%. Inflation remains above the 2% target and is not expected to moderate to desired levels any time soon, in an otherwise healthy economy. The New York Fed report also found that expectations of moderating future inflation gains came as households also upgraded their views on their incomes, earnings, hiring prospects and finances. The survey found 'slightly' improved views on households' views of their current financial situation in May, as respondents said access to credit improved relative to last year, while expectations of missing a debt payment declined.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store