The Biden Administration is continuing its push for more electric vehicle manufacturing in the United States. The White House recently issued grants totaling almost $2 billion to facilities in eight states.
Biden’s grants will bolster EV supply chains, promote electric school buses, and boost commercial EV development. Facilities in Georgia, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Maryland, and Virginia are on the list.
In a statement, Biden said, “Building a clean energy economy can and should be a win-win for union autoworkers and automakers. This investment will create thousands of good-paying, union manufacturing jobs and retain even more, from Lansing, Michigan to Fort Valley, Georgia – by helping automakers retool, reboot, and rehire in the same factories and communities.”
The grants come with requirements that companies’ commitments are met, and the Department of Energy will conduct environmental reviews before the money is awarded. One company, Blue Bird Body Co, will use an $80 million grant to retool a Georgia facility to produce electric buses. General Motors is getting a half-billion dollars to convert a plant in Michigan for EV production.
The funds come from climate legislation passed in 2022 and could improve Biden’s fortunes in crucial battleground states like Michigan. That said, it’s unlikely to change the conversation about his candidacy and age. It also won’t do much to quiet EV haters, who already scoff at the amount of money being pumped into the industry by the government.
[Images: Kia, Chevrolet, Tesla]
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