Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) clarified his position on electric vehicles during a Senate committee hearing on Thursday, stating he has a problem not with EVs but with the Biden administration implementing the “approach they wanted” and not the law.
Manchin, a staunch critic of President Joe Biden’s energy policies, hammered the administration for cutting the mineral sourcing percentage requirements by half, which the senator said “harms our ability to reduce our reliance on China-controlled EV supply chains.”
“My problem is not with EVs. My problem is this administration’s crusade to convert everyone over to an EV regardless of where the battery came from or what the law actually says,” Manchin said.
Under the Inflation Reduction Act, for 2024, 50% of the critical minerals contained in an electric vehicle battery must be extracted or processed in the United States or a country with which the U.S. has a free trade agreement to be eligible for a $3,750 clean vehicle tax credit. However, the Biden administration proposed guidance to cut the percentage requirements in half, which Manchin said is a “blatant violation” of the Inflation Reduction Act.
The West Virginia Democrat said cutting the requirements and proposing “fake” critical mineral free trade agreements with countries such as Indonesia violates the purpose of the act.
“Indonesia is controlled by China. You can’t think that Indonesia is going to be a free trade agreement country. These are the things we are talking about,” Manchin said, stating it seems like the people implementing the act “haven’t read it or really understand what our intentions were.”
“While some may believe I just have a vendetta against EVs, I just think we got way ahead of our skies on this,” Manchin added.
This is the latest blowback to the Biden administration’s clean energy agenda, which has goals of having 50% of all new electric vehicle sales by 2030. The House passed a disapproval resolution on Thursday to overturn the administration’s decision to waive “Buy America” requirements for electric chargers. The Senate passed its disapproval resolution in November.
The provisions require federal projects, such as electric vehicle chargers, to obtain at least 55% of the construction materials from domestic sources and be completely manufactured in the U.S. However, the Biden administration issued a temporary waiver to suspend the 55% requirement until July. Two House Democrats voted in favor of the disapproval resolution, and two House Republicans voted against it.
Electric vehicles have been the focal point of Biden’s green energy plans, but the transition has been an uphill battle. Tight supply chains and competition over critical minerals to build the cars have restricted the U.S. from deploying the technologies as fast as was aimed for. A report from the Alliance for Automotive Innovation found that electric vehicle chargers are at 12% of what is estimated as necessary to reach the 2030 EV goals set by the Biden administration.
CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER
The Biden administration has faced several roadblocks in Congress. Last month, the House passed a measure that would have banned the Environmental Protection Agency from finalizing a rule imposing emission standards for some vehicles. Another measure that passed the lower chamber revolved around state-led efforts to increase electric vehicle sales. Both bills stalled in the Senate.
Several electric vehicle charging companies are feeling the effects of a dwindling interest in the product. Many have expressed concerns that customers are worried about higher costs and delayed deliveries of the vehicles. The companies have found themselves stuck in a situation in which chargers are needed to sell drivers on electric vehicles, but no money from chargers will come in unless there is a surge in electric vehicle drivers.