Representatives of the Big Three US automakers and the United Auto Workers union recently joined President Biden at the White House to publicly announce plans to improve the fuel economy of legacy vehicles, and to gradually expand EV sales. The mainstream press saw the announcement as a major milestone, a new era, a paradigm shift. EV industry experts, eco-activists and Tesla fans were less impressed, to say the least.
What did the administration and the automakers actually announce? Basically, a return to the Obama-era fuel economy standards, and a reiteration of EV sales goals that the companies already announced months ago. It was a serving of symbolism, not substance. However, the symbolic value is substantial, and hopefully this artistically-plated appetizer will be followed by several more filling courses (such as a revamping of the federal tax credit, more funding for charging infrastructure, and the electrification of the government fleet).
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