The ambitious goal of persuading a majority of Americans to purchase emission-free electric vehicles within the next ten years is nothing more than wishful thinking, according to Bob Lutz, a former executive at General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler. Lutz shared his views during an interview with John Catsimatidis on WABC 770 AM’s the Cats Roundtable. He expressed skepticism, stating that “the regulation is way ahead of the public” and that “the American public is not ready for the widespread adoption of electric vehicles.” Lutz also highlighted the lack of adequate electricity-generating infrastructure as a major obstacle.
President Biden has set a target of making electric car sales account for 60% of all new vehicle sales by 2030 in order to reduce carbon emissions. Additionally, he aims for electric vehicles to make up two-thirds of all sales by 2032. Both New York and California have implemented aggressive regulations to phase out gas-powered cars in favor of electric alternatives. However, Lutz believes that only around 10% to 12% of drivers may actually be interested in electric cars, while the majority still prefer internal combustion vehicles.
Lutz argues that the transition to electric vehicles by 2030 is unlikely to occur as planned. Instead, he anticipates that car manufacturers will continue to produce a significant number of internal combustion vehicles, as they still sell well. Even electric vehicles, which are currently not experiencing the desired level of sales, will not be able to achieve the pace required. He suggests that governments may have to extend their deadlines or resort to more authoritarian measures, like China’s approach of restricting the purchase of non-electric vehicles. However, Lutz believes that such tactics will not be successful in the United States or Europe. He predicts that the deadlines for the transition to electric vehicles will continue to be pushed back.
Lutz encourages Americans to consider purchasing electric cars and test them out, especially if they do not frequently travel long distances that require frequent charging stops. He acknowledges that there are valid arguments for electric vehicles, but he believes that the current push for electrification is primarily driven by government regulations for environmental reasons, rather than a natural adoption by consumers. In the interview, Lutz also praises former Chrysler CEO Lee Iacocca as the best auto boss he has worked with and commends current GM CEO Mary Barra, whom he previously supervised during his time as an executive at the company.
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