Rep. Slotkin and Secretary Granholm, Michigan’s former Governor, addressed how electric vehicle technology will create new jobs, protect the environment and strengthen our national security
HOLLY -- U.S. Rep. Elissa Slotkin (MI-08) today hosted U.S. Energy Secretary and former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm for a tour of Magna Electronics in Holly. On a walking tour with administrators from the facility, Slotkin and Granholm discussed the need to invest in America's electric vehicle charging grid.
Granholm's visit came as the Biden administration announced a new agreement with car manufacturers that set a target for 50% of all new vehicles sold to be battery electric, fuel-cell, or plug-in hybrid by 2030. The move will cut carbon emissions, lower fuel costs for Americans and create good-paying jobs to expand the electric vehicle manufacturing industry, especially in states like Michigan.
Slotkin and Granholm addressed the importance of passing the bipartisan infrastructure package currently pending in the Senate, which will allocate $7.5 billion to build new charging stations across the country. Slotkin also highlighted the national security implications of the transition to electric vehicles, noting that making these investments now will help maintain our competitive edge over rivals like China, which are investing heavily in electric power.
"The best thing about it is, Michigan stands to benefit profoundly as we convert to a 50% electric fleet. We want to design them here, we want to make them here in Michigan," said Slotkin. "The goal is not to have someone else in China or France or wherever making them, we need to do it here."
What they're saying:
Michigan Live: Former Gov. Granholm tours Michigan plants as Biden sets goal to make 50% of new cars electric
- Goals for the Biden administration include building 500,000 new electric vehicle charging stations and investing $6 billion in electric battery development and manufacturing.
- Long term, the administration wants to invest $50 billion into semiconductor fabrication in the U.S. Magna could double or triple its production if it had enough semiconductor chips, a company spokesperson said.
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- "The military also needs these chips for the future of military vehicles, a lot of stuff that we're talking about is national security stuff and is all connected to having our supply chain be resilient and not dependent on China."
- "We [Michigan] play an essential and singular role [in the transition to electric vehicles]. You can make an announcement from Washington, but the ones who actually do that and massively expanded electric vehicles are the big three and the U. A. W. In Michigan it's what we do, it's our bread and butter. That's why they sent the Secretary of Energy back to Michigan to actually talk about how we're going to get this done. It's one thing to say something and another thing to actually do it. And it's going to be a huge boon for Michigan companies."
Original source can be found here.
