According to Shailen Bhatt, a senior member of the U.S. Department of Transportation, the demand for electric vehicles is growing abroad, and the technology is receiving general support from both sides of the aisle.
Bipartisan Backing: State Officials Champion Economic Benefits of Electric Vehicle Manufacturing Innovation
But you know who does n’t politicize electric vehicles, the governors in states where they’re building them”, he added, listing blue and red states where EV or battery manufacturing is taking hold. In his keynote address,” EVs: Facts, Not Politics”, Bhatt highlighted governors on both sides of the aisle who have expressed support for electric vehicles, including Gretchen Whitmer of Michigan and Gov. Kay Ivey of Alabama.
Manufacturing Innovation Drives Economic Benefits: EV Success Stories in Red States
“But you know who else is truly in favor of EVs? Kay Ivey of Alabama, which, next time I checked, is a very red state, and is probably not going to be a swing state”, Bhatt said in online remarks. “She’s a huge fan of EVs, because they’re manufactured there”.
“Alabama’s auto manufacturing sector is evolving fast to capitalize on the EV revolution that is sweeping the industry”, Ivey said in an October 2022 statement, announcing plans by Hyundai Mobis to invest$ 205 million to develop an EV battery plant in Montgomery, which will employ at least 400 people. We’re excited about the new investment made by the company and what it means for Alabama’s upcoming auto-making boom.
Kentucky’s EV Battery Projects Pave the Way for Economic Growth and Environmental Progress
In a project with Ford and Stat On, Kentucky officially opened the BlueOval Stat Battery Park in Hardin County in December. The project, the largest in the state’s history, will invest nearly$ 6 billion and create 5,000 new jobs. Earlier this year, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear called attention to Envision AESC’s $2 billion, 2,000- job battery facility project.
In his State of the State address on January 4th, Beshear stated,” Because of these wonderful projects, Kentucky has cemented its position as the United States of America’s capital for electric vehicle battery production.”
The federal government has made a significant investment in the transition from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles (EVs), funding the construction of charging stations, offering purchase incentives, and even establishing new fuel economy standards to entice the sector to switch from fossil fuels. According to Bhatt, all of these efforts are a part of a coordinated effort to combat climate change caused by humans.
Driving Towards a Sustainable Future: Prioritizing EV Manufacturing for Economic and Environmental Success
The weather is acting in ways that our infrastructure was never designed for, he remarked, regardless of whether people believe in the politics of it or not. But, for us, it makes sense if we can invest in transportation that can help us reduce our carbon footprint. He added that it makes sense that the United States is still a leader in automotive innovation, noting that international EV sales have more than doubled in the last two years.
“The president wants there to be a powerful, home, domestically sourced manufacturing base for all these technologies, whether it’s semiconductors, EV chargers”, Bhatt said.
This is about what will be purchased and sold nationally in the upcoming decades, the author writes. We want to make sure that we are succeeding in the race for EV manufacturing, he said. ” We want to make sure that we’re leading the 21st century. And we want to make certain that American workers are contributing to the development of this technology and creating employment.”