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What Is the ‘J. Lo Effect’?
WASHINGTON—Roughly half of all cars and light trucks sold in the U.S. by 2030 would be electric, hydrogen-fuel cell and plug-in hybrid vehicles under voluntary targets set to be announced Thursday by the Biden administration and backed by auto makers, contingent on government support.
In a joint statement, General Motors Co. , Ford Motor Co. , and Chrysler maker Stellantis NV said their commitment hinges on federal funding for manufacturing and supply-chain research and development, purchase incentives and an EV-charging network.
The auto makers said their commitment was to have electric, fuel cell and plug-in hybrid vehicles comprise 40% to 50% of sales by 2030, saying the action “represents a dramatic shift from the U.S. market today.” Biden administration officials, however, said the president plans to sign an executive order setting a voluntary target of 50%.
Some environmentalist critics of the industry reacted with skepticism to advance reports Wednesday night of the auto makers’ voluntary commitment.
The plan “relies on unenforceable voluntary commitments from unreliable car makers,” said Dan Becker, a long-time environmental advocate for clean transportation now serving as director of the Safe Climate Transport Campaign of the Center for Biological Diversity, a non-profit environmental advocacy group. “These are the companies that tore up the agreement they made with President Obama to cut pollution, so why would anyone trust them now?”
