Well it is an election year after all.

In a concession to automakers and labor unions, the Biden administration intends to relax elements of one of its most ambitious strategies to combat climate change, limits on tailpipe emissions that are designed to get Americans to switch from gas-powered cars to electric vehicles, according to three people familiar with the plan.

Instead of essentially requiring automakers to rapidly ramp up sales of electric vehicles over the next few years, the administration would give car manufacturers more time, with a sharp increase in sales not required until after 2030, these people said. They asked to remain anonymous because the regulation has not been finalized. The administration plans to publish the final rule by early spring.

The change comes as President Biden faces intense crosswinds as he runs for re-election while trying to confront climate change. He is aiming to cut carbon dioxide emissions from gasoline-powered vehicles, which make up the largest single source of greenhouse gases emitted by the United States.

For some time, even car dealers were begging Biden to scrap the electric vehicle mandates that have been bad for business due to lack of consumer demand, despite up to $7,500 tax breaks for consumers. At best someone in the Biden White House is realizing that the public is not ready for electric vehicles.

That includes Biden’s fuel efficiency requirements heighten the cost of cars as evidenced by the EPA backing away from E.V. sales targets and tighter fuel emissions. Even deep Blue states, like California, are coming to this realization about the unpopularity of electric cars with consumers.

There have been millions of dollars spent to produce and try to convince Americans to buy electric cars and plans to make it a reality have, rightly, fallen short. But the cost to our economy is what matters and it has and undoubtedly will continue to be a disaster, especially in six years when gas-powered vehicles have to be electric which will be coupled by indications as to how much increased usage America’s electric grid can take.

PHOTO CREDIT: Pixabay