DETROIT: President Joe Biden highlights important details and oversimplifies facts in his boast about support from the United Auto Workers union for its effort to dramatically increase sales of electric vehicles by the end of the decade.
In his remarks on Wednesday, Biden failed to say that the UAW did not support the EV targets set out in an executive order signed last month. Union support is also in part dependent on strong government support for union-built cars in the form of tax credits in legislation pending in Congress, which is far from guaranteed to happen.
Have a look at the claim:
Praising the work of UAW members Biden: The main Big Three (automakers) have decided to go building, electric, with the support of those unions, so we own that market.
Fact: Absolutely not. While the UAW has expressed general support for more EV sales, it has repeatedly rejected targets urged by Biden as part of his ambitious plan to tackle climate change, including those by the largest automakers. The agreed 40% to 50% target is covered.
Biden announced his plans to own the EV market over foreign competitors last month, signing a target order setting that half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 will be zero-emissions vehicles, according to environmental groups. says there is a need to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This would be a seismic shift from internal combustion engines to battery-powered vehicles in the US.
Transportation is America’s biggest contributor to climate change.
The United Auto Workers union has, in fact, expressed concerns about the industry being in a hurry with the EV transition because of the potential impact on jobs. Since electric vehicles typically have 30% to 40% fewer parts and are simpler to manufacture, they will require fewer workers to assemble. This will likely mean a reshuffling of jobs, as workers once making engines, transmissions and other components for gas-powered cars will have to switch to electric motors and batteries.
Upon signing Bidens’ order, the UAW did not endorse a goal, explicitly stating that it stands behind the president, not only to support his ambition to develop electric vehicles but also to pay decent wages and benefits along with our ability to produce them domestically.
Both the UAW and the Big Three” automakers Ford, General Motors and Stelantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, have clarified that a dramatic change will be made only with incentives for electric vehicle purchases, substantial government funding for charging stations and expanding electric vehicle manufacturing. Might as well be funding for the parts supply chain.
In a bipartisan infrastructure bill waiting to be passed by Congress, there is $7.5 billion for grants to build charging stations, which is what Biden originally proposed. He also wanted $100 billion in tax credits and exemptions to entice people to buy electric vehicles. At least $3.5 trillion of that money was expected to be included in the spending bill that is facing resistance in Congress.
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Krischer is an Associated Press autowriter.
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Editor’s Note A look at the veracity of the claims of political figures.
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