Industry News: Biden Administration Hosts EV Meeting with Auto Industry Leaders

[G. David Felt]

President Biden and senior officials in the Biden administration hosted a meeting with the major automotive leaders on the Build Back Better agenda with a focus on moving America to BEVs and the supporting needs of the charging infrastructure for electric vehicles to succeed.

The list of auto companies that were at this meeting was as follows according to Reuters who reported this quiet meeting happened sometime last week at the end of March, beginning of April.

• Tesla CEO Elon Musk
• GM CEO Mary Barra
• Ford CEO Jim Farley
• Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares
• Lucid CEO Peter Rawlinson
• Nissan Americas chair Jeremie Papin
• Hyundai Motor America Executive
• Subaru of America Executive
• Mazda North America Executive
• Toyota North America Executive
• Kia Motors America Executive
• Toyota North America Executive
• Mercedes-Benz USA Executive
• Other auto company executives

Each representative was given 90 seconds to talk about their EV plans and major issues of concern. The executives tended to hit a consistent messaging on battery supply chain, EV standards and Charging from Home to Commercial and the needs to updated modern electrical standards.

Out of this meeting, President Biden invoked the Defense Production Act to boost U.S. production of minerals needed in support of electrical vehicles.

According to this meeting, the automakers agreed with the EPA's rolling back to tougher ICE emissions regulations which is a hit to the few states and ethanol groups that have filed court challenges to the EPA changes and the Build Back Better agenda.

To quote the Valero Energy subsidiary and other ethanol producers and their corn growers: " the new EPA rules revising emission requirements through 2026 effectively mandate the production and sale of electric cars rather than cars powered by internal combustion engines."

In attendance of this meeting was Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, National Climate Advisor Gina McCarthy and Infrastructure Coordinator Mitch Landrieu.

Ford CEO tweeted about the meeting in positive terms.

The Build Back Better Agenda is supported by the recent passage of legislation that covers Roads, Bridges and Transportation Infrastructure such as the following:

• National Network of 500,000 standardized chargers from the $7.5 Billion government funding for EV charging stations
• $27 Billion for Bridges
• $52.5 Billion for Federal Highway Apportionment
• $3 Billion for Airport critical infrastructure
• $260 million for highway safety programs
• $230 million for Port Infrastructure Grants, another $2.25 Billion has been approved by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law
• $7.4 Billion for water infrastructure, sewage systems and services upgrades

More info on additional spending here: FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Hits the Ground Running 60 Days into Infrastructure Implementation | The White House

One can find the extensive details on the national EV charging here: FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Electric Vehicle Charging Action Plan | The White House

 

Please keep in mind that this is posted for info about the auto industry and changes coming, DO NOT post political ideology, but discuss the auto industry and post your feelings on the positive and negative effects of this meeting and the money being spent.

 

Biden administration, auto leaders want 'seamless' EV charging station use | Reuters

FACT SHEET: Biden-Harris Administration Hits the Ground Running 60 Days into Infrastructure Implementation | The White House

FACT SHEET: The Biden-Harris Electric Vehicle Charging Action Plan | The White House

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