GOP lawmaker foolishly tries to claim that EV subsidies are too expensive

During a hearing held by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, GOP lawmaker Aaron Bean complained about electric vehicles (EV) subsidies, calling them “bribes”.

“The Biden administration is spending billions in subsidies to force consumers to make these decisions,” Bean said. “They’re only buying them because we’re bribing consumers with $7500 to purchase that vehicle.”

“Is there a time that you will say, ‘You know what? This is just too expensive, this is just too expensive, we wanna rethink this policy.’ Is there ever a time that you’re gonna say that, that it’s too expensive?” Bean asked Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg.

Buttigieg responded by pointing out the ludicrous amounts of subsidies the US government is spending on fossil fuels:

“If you think this is expensive, wait till you find out how much oil and gas subsidies you’ve been supporting,” Buttigieg said. “Also, wait till you find out the economic impact, that some economists have put it, $15 million every hour or every day, trillions of dollars every year from allowing the environmental conditions in this country and planet to worsen.”

The Congressional Budget Office estimates that electric vehicle tax credits cost the government $85 million in 2023. Comparatively, in 2022, fossil fuel subsidies in the US totalled $757 billion, according to the International Monetary Fund.

The claim that liberal and left-wing governments spend too much money on climate solutions – be it subsidies for renewables or electric vehicles and whatnot – is a common attack line from fossil fuel dinosaurs that has no basis in reality. Eliminating fossil fuel subsidies, on the other hand, will save taxpayers money while simultaneously reducing greenhouse gas emissions and making sure our climate remains liveable.