It was recently reported that President Joe Biden has come under fire for promoting a $100,000 electric Hummer while touting his $7,500 tax credit for electric vehicles. This misguided promotion of an inefficient and expensive vehicle has been met with criticism from both sides of the aisle. Most new electric vehicles are not eligible for the tax credit as their MSRP (manufacturer’s suggested retail price) is above the maximum allowed. Furthermore, the Hummer EV has had a number of issues with it including recalls due to water leaking into battery packs and randomly dying on roads and off roads.
The criticism towards Biden’s endorsement of this vehicle has been strong. From Rep Ashley Hinson (R-IA) to Ron Estes (R-KS), many have expressed their disdain at this seemingly tone-deaf push by the president to promote an expensive electric car that does not qualify for his own tax credit program. David Zipper from Harvard Kennedy School also weighed in saying that this move is “a deeply misguided effort to greenwash a gas guzzler or worse yet, an attempt to curry favor with wealthy elites”. Guy Reschenthaler (R-PA) even mocked Biden by posting a meme of him saying “best I can do is a 110,000 dollar electric car” when Americans are struggling financially due to the pandemic.
The reality is that President Biden’s promotion of this $100,000 electric hummer does nothing to help everyday Americans who cannot afford such an expensive vehicle. It also sends a signal that he believes luxurious and inefficient cars should be incentivized over more affordable sedans and SUVs which runs counter to his goals of reducing emissions through wider adoption of EVs. The president should instead focus on creating policies that make EVs more accessible and affordable to everyday Americans rather than pushing such extravagances like the Hummer EV which offer no tangible benefit other than making manufacturers richer.
In conclusion, President Joe Biden’s promotion of the $100,000 Electric Hummer is misguided and inefficient at best; irresponsible at worst. Rather than trying to cater to wealthy elites who can afford such luxuries, he should be focused on incentivizing more affordable EVs so they can become accessible to everyday Americans who are struggling during these difficult times brought about by the pandemic.
