On Tuesday, House Transportation Committee members accused Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg of preferring electric vehicles as a solution to rising gas prices, sparking a debate between the two parties over the price of these vehicles.The discussion took place on Tuesday when Buttigieg testified about the administration's implementation of the bicameral infrastructure statute before the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) took advantage of the occasion to question Buttigieg about the high price of electric vehicles, which he pointed out are more expensive than the price of a typical small automobile.
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Drivers in Perry's area, according to Buttigieg, are "spending nearly 80% more for gasoline" than they were prior to President Joe Biden's inauguration, when gas costs, according to AAA, were just $2.39 per gallon.
Even you, Perry said, "I believe it's fair to say, have intimated that [consumers] should buy an electric vehicle and absolve themselves" of that expense. According to Kelley Blue Book, an EV costs roughly $55,000, he continued.
"First of all, I want to be clear, nobody I know, definitely not me, thinks that everyone, or even most Americans, can buy electric automobiles simply," Buttigieg said in response.
That being said, Buttigieg remarked, "I'm struck by this $55,000 amount that keeps floating around.
"I picked a few of the most recent pricing since I thought this would show up: "A 2022 EV that is American-made and costs $26,595 is the Chevy Bolt," he said to Perry.
"If you want a pickup vehicle, the beginning pricing for the Chevy Silverado EV and Ford F-150 Lightning are, respectively, $39,930 and $39,974, "added he.
Last month, the price of the Chevy Bolt series was drastically reduced, going from $31,000 to $25,600.
That makes it less expensive than the Nissan Leaf, which had previously been the cheapest electric car available. (The Bolt does not, however, qualify for the government electric vehicle incentive, while the Leaf does.)
Industry representatives admit that although EVs may save consumers money over time, their hefty upfront costs make them unaffordable for many American drivers. The average price of an electric vehicle is $56,437, according to the Kelley Blue Book figure provided by Perry, which is about $10,000 more than the industry average.
However, for some drivers wishing to switch, the less expensive versions, like the ones Buttigieg noted, provide a comparable more cheap o
Buttigieg also stated during the hearing on Tuesday that representatives from the Department of Transportation are collaborating with the Department of Energy to help better source some of the components used in electric vehicle batteries, the majority of which are made in China.
Ideally, he continued, they are seeking to acquire materials from the United States; if not, then from a geopolitically friendlier region."
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