US Baegakwan Pressures for 40% Electric Vehicle Sales Share by 2030

Major Foreign Media Reports
Possibility of 50% Regulation

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy New York=Correspondent Baek Jong-min] The White House is reportedly set to regulate that by 2030, over 40% of new car sales by U.S. automakers must be electric vehicles.

On the 29th (local time), a major foreign media outlet cited sources reporting that the White House wants automakers to support a goal of selling at least 40% of new cars as electric vehicles by 2030 to reduce climate change risks.

The sources said the electric vehicle sales ratio could be set at 50%. However, no agreement has been reached with automakers yet, and discussions are ongoing about whether the target will include some hybrid vehicles using internal combustion engines in addition to fully electric vehicles.

Regarding this, a spokesperson for the United Auto Workers (UAW) said, "Discussions are ongoing, and no agreement has been reached yet." The UAW has opposed mandatory electric vehicle sales ratios, arguing that it could lead to job reductions.

Foreign media reported that U.S. automakers have refrained from commenting on this. General Motors (GM) has announced plans to stop selling internal combustion engine vehicles in the U.S. by 2035. Stellantis, the parent company of Chrysler, has proposed that by 2030, over 40% of vehicles sold in the U.S. will be low-emission vehicles.

The Biden administration has faced demands from Democrats to present binding targets for electric vehicle sales or to accept California's decision to stop selling internal combustion engine vehicles by 2035.

In April, 12 Democratic governors from states including California, New York, and Massachusetts urged President Biden to ban gasoline passenger car sales by 2035.

In March, 71 Democratic members of the House of Representatives called on President Biden to impose regulations limiting 60% of new passenger cars and trucks sold by 2030 to zero-emission vehicles.

Meanwhile, the U.S. pledged at the World Climate Summit earlier this year to reduce carbon emissions by 52% compared to 2005 levels by 2030.