This is a central issue in the American presidential campaign: the automobile. While the debate is raging on the other side of the Atlantic to determine to what extent the electric car is more or less the solution to reduce CO2 emissions, Donald Trump expressed his point of view on Thursday, July 18, during his speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
“I will end the mandate for electric vehicles on day one,” declared the former president who is running for a new term.
A reference to the Biden administration’s desire to boost electric car sales in the United States, in particular to meet the US environmental agency’s pollution reduction targets. The United States is therefore aiming for electric cars to account for 50% of new vehicle sales by 2030.
The unnecessary spending of the “new green anarchist”
Donald Trump therefore intends to backtrack, arguing that this decision would “save the American car industry from total annihilation, as is currently happening, and would save American customers thousands and thousands of dollars per car.”
“These cars don’t go far enough. They’re very, very expensive and they’re also very heavy,” Donald Trump had told Bloomberg a few days earlier.
During his speech on Thursday, these criticisms of electric cars were linked to a more general denunciation of “billions of dollars of unnecessary spending” linked to “the new green scam”. A budget that he intends to reorient towards “important projects, such as roads, bridges and dams”.
Tax Chinese cars up to 200%
“Everyone who works in the automotive industry should vote for Donald Trump because we will bring back the business and the factories. [aux Etats-Unis]”the Republican candidate summed up.
Donald Trump also wants to encourage foreign car groups to build factories on American soil.
“For those who disagree with us, we will impose 100-200% tariffs on every car and they will not be able to be sold in the United States.”
Like Europe more recently, the United States had already announced last May the application of quadrupled customs duties, which could reach 100%, on imports of Chinese electric cars.
Donald Trump then reacted by mentioning these customs duties, which could reach 200% if he is re-elected, accusing his successor in the White House of copying them “about four years late.”
Source: BFM TV
