Johnson: Congress must do more to foster electric cars

I read in yesterday’s letters to the editor that congress is proposing an additional tax credit for electric vehicles. A tax credit is a great way for us to reach President Biden’s goal of 50% of new sales to be EVs by 2030.

However, when I saw that it was only going to apply to a few cars that were built in U.S. union shops, my hopes sank.

This is not a good idea in any way. We are seeing electric cars start to take hold in the market. Much of this is due to the lowering of costs and increasing of capabilities and range, due to the innovations that many in the industry are making.

Startup ventures are starting to pop up in Arizona, and we saw the Casa Grande Lucid plant start production. If we stifle these startup companies to benefit just a few vehicles made outside Arizona, we risk seeing the industry contract, rather than expand.

People want electric vehicles and they want the innovative solutions that these startup companies are providing. If congress leaves this exclusionary provision in, we are going to see less consumer choices, as well as the very strong possibility of lost jobs right here at home.

I am counting on Sens. Sinema and Kelly to withhold their support of the package until they remove the union requirement.