Unplug Democrats' Tesla Tax on the Poor
By Oliver McPherson-Smith
April 06, 2021
Democrats on the Energy and Commerce Committee have all but forgotten this message of solidarity. As America continues to weather the pandemic, the recently released CLEAN Future Act will put struggling communities on the hook for the rollout of electric vehicle charging stations. This reverse Robin Hood ‘Tesla tax’ would make the poorest fund the luxuries of the wealthiest.
The problem is that all taxpayers and electricity consumers will fund the expansion of EV charging infrastructure, but only the wealthiest will enjoy it. EVs are not known to be cheap, with the average price of a vehicle sitting somewhere around $55,600.
Despite plundering the poor, the CLEAN Future Act tries to cover its tracks through thinly veiled lip service to social justice. Section 440B provides grants of up to 80% of the cost of an EV charging project in underserved or disadvantaged communities. While that might sound generous on paper, it is divorced from the reality of working-class America.
https://www.realclearenergy.org/articles/2021/04/06/unplug_democrats_tesla_tax_on_the_poor_771563.html