Since President Joe Biden took office in January, he’s been working to speed up America’s conversion to electric vehicles by signing various executive orders that aim to replace the entire government fleet with EVs and incentivize clean energy. Now, newly confirmed Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm has confirmed that the Department of Energy is working to help speed up EV adoption by investing billions of dollars.
“President Biden is demanding that we get America to that net-zero [carbon emissions] by 2050, Granholm said during a virtual event held by Securing America’s Future Energy. “The transportation sector is the largest source of those emissions. We need to jam on the accelerator here. We’re going to double down on our R&D in the technologies that will make EVs easier to manufacture, easier to deploy, easier for the American people to access.”
These efforts will include reducing the cost of lithium-ion battery packs, producing more EV-related items in the U.S., increasing the number of charging stations, and speeding up charging times. The Department of Energy is also aiming to add more than 100 battery cell manufacturing locations by the year 2035, an initiative that Ford CEO Jim Farley recently threw his support behind.
Securing America’s Future Energy released a report last fall that details how the U.S. can catch up to China in terms of the manufacturing of components used in electric vehicles. Recommendations included the development of a U.S.-based critical minerals supply chain and autonomous vehicle technology using nine different policy proposals and regulatory reform that would reportedly create 647,000 jobs over the next five years.
“China’s intent – made clear by its Made in China 2025 plan and subsequent moves to control the supply chain for electric, connected vehicles – poses a grave threat to American leadership, jobs, and national security,” said CEO, Robbie Diamond. “America’s failure to compete aggressively risks our swapping oil dependence for reliance on Beijing for the transportation that will power our economy in the 21st century.”
We’ll have more on America’s shift toward electric vehicles soon, so be sure and subscribe to Ford Authority for non-stop Ford news coverage.
Comments
This all such a waste and B/S. It’s called throwing the baby out with the wash water !!
I haven’t been following the EV development very well but until they have batteries that can power a vehicle more than 300 miles between charges, they won’t be practical for most people and they won’t be well accepted until then. Also the so called clean energy isn’t as clean as they want us to believe. While true there are no carbon emissions from the production of the energy, the manufacture of the energy producing equipment creates tons of hazardous waste that has to be handled in some way.
They’re already available. The Rivians debuting late this year will go 400 miles on a charge. So will the Lucid Air and the Tesla Model S. The next generation of the Mach E may, although it’s more likely that newer tech will lead to faster charging and improvements in the charging network will reduce the need for absolute distance on a single charge.
Just throwing that money around left and right.
Reinforcing Nelson’s point, not only does the manufacture of batteries and pack assembly create issues, but creating a critical mineral supply chain should include some plan for recycling old cells and packs, and not be focused on the finite and every more expensive to mine, virgin materials. I haven’t heard or read anywhere where recycling is being addressed.
You are 100 % correct. No thought at all is being given to the environment when these fuel cells become exhausted. They are so focused to rush into all this to make it appears they when it’s only about securing more profits.
Anyone else feel they’re being railroaded on the EV issue? This is remarkable. Dittos on Granholm.
I see it a bit differently….. stick your head in the sand and miss the movie as the rest of the world passes you by! Access to a critical minerals supply chain will be hugely important. That requires alliances and partnerships with friends, something the previous administration burnt down. Cannot see Canada for one being too interested in any US initiative after we kicked them to the curb. We don’t want their oil (pipeline) but are quite willing to rely on less secure sources. Small wonder, China and others do what they want whilst we clean sand out of our ears. If you are not moving forward, you are probably going backwards but just don’t know it! Just sayin…..
Mike says… seems y’all are the one with y’all’s ‘head in the sand’. To be sure, the CURRENT ADMINISTRATION (term used quite loosely) are the ones that ‘burnt the alliances’. USMCA ring a bell? Or are y’all busy digging sand out of y’all’s ears?
Whatever happened to having a balanced budget? Where in the flip are these billions of dollars coming from? Repay what was taken from the social security fund and support are veterans and citizens before borrowing money for something you want!
Amen to that, just common sense !!
I hope I just missed the part of this initiative that upgrades the grid and generating capacity to support all this electric power usage. Where are the nuclear reactors for one. Wind and solar are not capable of producing enough power for all of this
I read all of your comments and Im sure glad none of u are running the country. China and other countries will move forward as we once again will fall behind and make on bones about it we have fallen behind. The electric vechiels are coming boys and girls don’t get me wrong I love my mustang, my pickup, my Harley and my pontoon boat. So let’s lead this parade. And as far as balancing the budget I don’t think that been done since the Clinton administration.
Mike says…. I agree with you Gary. Ford has a plan that is leading both GM and Stelantis… will it be easy or popular? I doubt it. I just hope that Ford finds a way to keep some ICE offerings along with the future BEV’s. This is a transition that your grandkids will ask… what is an ICE vehicle and why would you want one. We are destined to be living dinosaurs I think. On the politics, we finally are emerging from being a laughing stock of the world. The last 4 years make it hard to be a republican….. or anything else for that matter.
I remember the Solindra “Solar power, super great company and friend of the dem administration”. that was the last time poor leadership wanted to lead the parade. Market forces work, they are what has created virtually everything good (free country/market forces) in the world. Hitler and Stalin, thought they could lead the world…..
Mike says….For those of you that are feeling challenged…. perhaps just look at the pictures might be easier. Just sayin…..