Tesla faces EV mandate delay instead of gas car ban as Biden aims to unionize autoworkers and build more chargers

The White House may be postponing the electric car revolution for after 2030, it seems, as it wants to give autoworkers a chance to unionize in the new zero-emission vehicle era as well. The proposed legislation seemingly acknowledges that charging infrastructure or EV demand are just not there yet so it will give automakers more time to adjust.

The stricter tailpipe emission rules that will phase out 2/3 of gas-powered vehicles in production by 2032 when the government's EV and battery subsidies expire are staying. The respective model mix to achieve them, however, won't be required from car companies before 2030, much to the chagrin of Tesla that has been advocating for a complete gas vehicle ban by then.

This will essentially give the big Detroit automakers six more years to achieve their zero-emission strategies. They'll be able to both address the mass market with more affordable electric cars, and enjoy a nationwide charging infrastructure that is currently being built. With early adopter demand waning, EV prices and charger access are now the biggest obstacles before their proliferation, so Biden's administration will aim to solve both with the new zero-emission mix legislation.

For autoworkers, the delay in emission mandates will address their most pressing concern - unionization - as well. Not only could the sudden shift in production make 15,000 autoworkers redundant as electric cars require much less manual assembly, but the new EV and battery factories are predominantly built in the South precisely before of the lax union regulations there. President Biden seems to have listened to the UAW union's concerns, and the relaxed emissions legislation may be announced as soon as next month.

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