Where Donald Trump and Kamala Harris stand on electric vehicles

ah, yeah. Gas prices aren't the only thing creeping up in price under the radar, not getting as much attention. Electricity is costing more to. So what's really cheaper fueling up your gas tank on your car or fueling up an electric car with electricity. And what about the cost of the car up front? How does that factor into it? We're breaking it all down before you go car shopping. Mm hmm. First, let's talk about the average cost of buying an electric vehicle versus a gas powered one. According to Kelley Blue Book. The average price of an electric vehicle, $64,685. That's pretty expensive. The average price of a comparable full size gas powered car Is just $41,618. Exacting. So you're going to pay more upfront for an electric vehicle. No, no question about it. About $23,000 more. Okay, so the up front cost to owning an electric vehicle is higher. What about maintenance Experts say? If you drive around 20,000 miles a year, you'll pay an average of $1,800 a year in maintenance. That's a lot. But triple a says electric vehicles don't need the same amount of maintenance. You don't need to get the oil changes. You don't need to change the air filters as much. So the upkeep Is much less for an electric vehicle only costs about $949 a year. That's $851 less. Not Jeff. The gas powered Jeff. Finally, let's talk about refueling, What's cheaper to refill a gas tank or an electric battery right now. The national average for a gallon of gas, $4.25 which means to fill up this car right here. Average gas powered car, it's going to cost me about 60 bucks from empty. Now let's compare that to an electric vehicle. Most tv users charge up their electric vehicles right here at home in the garage and I know you're used to seeing those big special E. V. Chargers in the garage. That's for fancy pants. A lot of people charge their electric vehicles right here just with a regular wall outlet. Yeah, you can do that. But what does it cost on your electric bill? So we did the math. It costs 14 cents on average, 14 cents per kilowatt per hour. It takes the average electric vehicle 75 kilowatt hours to charge up fully. Yeah, we did the Math calculator, 75 kilowatt hours fully to charge. That means it costs about $10.50 per charge in this. Quick comparison electric cars will cost you more up front. But the savings could be in the thousands every year after that. By the way, for every dollar gas prices go up, experts say get this, you're paying about $56 more a month on gas for every dollar a gallon. But electricity rates don't rise that fast. So electric vehicle owners will probably never have to pay that much extra in filling up their batteries. We'll have all this information, putting it up there right now and more on my website, Rossen reports dot com. Back to you.

With the 2024 election quickly approaching, voters will have to make a decision between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.Video above: Do electric vehicles really save you money?The candidate's platforms differ on how to address climate change, so it's worth taking a look at what the U.S. could look like after four years of policy.The most obvious and prevalent way that climate change policy might affect daily American life is through the manufacturing, use and availability of electric vehicles.Where Trump standsTrump's stance on electric vehicles has wavered wildly even in this past year. In December, Trump posted on his social media site Truth Social that supporters of electric vehicles, among others, should "rot in hell. " However, he has recently softened on the issue, saying he is "for electric cars" and that EVs are good for "a small slice" of the population.However, this change in tune seems to be the direct result of Trump's talks with billionaire Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and currently the richest man in the world, and Musk's subsequent endorsement of Trump. "I’m for electric cars �� I have to be, because Elon endorsed me," Trump said at a rally. "I have no choice."Musk, previously backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican primary, has since gone "all-in" on Trump, throwing money behind him and other Republican races, with a New York Times report saying the figure is possibly $500 million. Trump's change on EVs is obvious, but his early opposition this cycle was mostly to President Joe Biden's policies, now taken up by Harris. Trump has called the Green New Deal a "Green New Scam" and has repeatedly referred to a Biden administration "EV mandate" that would eliminate gas-powered cars entirely, as claimed in a recent Michigan ad. As The New York Times explains in an analysis of the ad, "EV mandate" has become a conservative buzz term to misinform about a 2021 Biden administration goal of seeing half of all vehicle sales be EVs by 2030.Where Harris standsMeanwhile, Harris has largely picked up Biden's climate policy, but recently said at a rally in Michigan, "Contrary to what my opponent is suggesting, I will never tell you what kind of car you have to drive."Harris' approach to climate change, and electric vehicles specifically, can be gleaned from the Biden administration's passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which "provides hundreds of billions of dollars in government subsidies for electric cars and other clean-energy technology, including tax credits for clean-energy and energy-efficiency home projects," as explained by The Washington Post. Harris, in her role as vice president, cast the tie-breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act.Video above: This is the best time to buy an electric vehicleHarris was also endorsed by UAW, the United Autoworkers Union, in July. The endorsement came as little surprise but was significant in part because of UAW's stance on EV production and the Biden/Harris approach to EVs.For his part, Trump has tried to tout his support among autoworkers despite not gaining their union’s endorsement. At a rally in Michigan earlier this month, JD Vance stood in front of supporters wearing shirts that read "Auto Workers for Trump." The only problem: Half the people in the shirts didn’t work in the auto industry. Vance also described a recent $500 million grant to General Motors meant to convert a plant into producing parts for EVs as "table scraps."So, what does it mean for EVs and autoworkers if a certain candidate is elected?The future of EVs?One of the main roadblocks for EVs is infrastructure, which largely means charging stations. Under President Biden, the number of available charging stations in the country doubled, with even more on the way. So, it is likely that this program would continue and expand under Harris if she becomes president.Trump has in the past bemoaned the weaknesses of EVs and EV chargers, even though he has them available at his own hotels. And the $500 million grant for GM? It’s part of a whole program meant to convert auto factories to making EVs that has $2 billion earmarked through IRA funding. Harris seems poised to continue and expand here as well. However, that funding is something that Trump has promised to roll back if unspent by the time he is in office, meaning that money wouldn’t be going to factories or autoworkers.The other problem for Trump on the EV issue is China.As much as conservatives generally dislike EV technology and Trump’s historical dislike of China, pulling out of promised EV grants would cede financial ground to China. This would further strengthen China in the global economy and leave the U.S. catching up, not just with vehicle production but also with a continued reliance on batteries.So, it’s hard to know whether a second Trump administration would be good for EVs in general or specifically for Musk and Tesla.

With the 2024 election quickly approaching, voters will have to make a decision between former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Video above: Do electric vehicles really save you money?

The candidate's platforms differ on how to address climate change, so it's worth taking a look at what the U.S. could look like after four years of policy.

The most obvious and prevalent way that climate change policy might affect daily American life is through the manufacturing, use and availability of electric vehicles.

Where Trump stands

Trump's stance on electric vehicles has wavered wildly even in this past year. In December, Trump posted on his social media site Truth Social that supporters of electric vehicles, among others, should ". " However, he has recently softened on the issue, saying he is "" and that EVs are good for "a small slice" of the population.

However, this change in tune seems to be of Trump's talks with billionaire Elon Musk, the CEO of Tesla and , and Musk's subsequent endorsement of Trump. "I’m for electric cars �� I have to be, because Elon endorsed me," Trump said at a rally. "I have no choice."

Musk, previously backing Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in the Republican primary, has since gone "all-in" on Trump, him and other Republican races, with a saying the figure is possibly $500 million.

Trump's change on EVs is obvious, but his early opposition this cycle was mostly to President Joe Biden's policies, now taken up by Harris. Trump has called the Green New Deal a "" and has repeatedly referred to a Biden administration "EV mandate" that would eliminate gas-powered cars entirely, as claimed in a . As in an analysis of the ad, "EV mandate" has become a conservative buzz term to misinform about a of seeing half of all vehicle sales be EVs by 2030.

Where Harris stands

Meanwhile, Harris has largely picked up Biden's climate policy, but recently said at a rally in Michigan, "Contrary to what my opponent is suggesting, I will never tell you what kind of car you have to drive."

Harris' approach to climate change, and electric vehicles specifically, can be gleaned from the Biden administration's passage of the Inflation Reduction Act, which "provides hundreds of billions of dollars in government subsidies for electric cars and other clean-energy technology, including tax credits for clean-energy and energy-efficiency home projects," as . Harris, in her role as vice president, cast the tie-breaking vote on the Inflation Reduction Act.

Video above: This is the best time to buy an electric vehicle

Harris was also , the United Autoworkers Union, in July. The endorsement came as little surprise but was significant in part because of UAW's and the Biden/Harris approach to EVs.

For his part, Trump has among autoworkers despite not gaining their union’s endorsement. At a rally in Michigan earlier this month, JD Vance stood in front of supporters wearing shirts that read "Auto Workers for Trump." The only problem: Half the people in the shirts . Vance also described a recent $500 million grant to General Motors meant to convert a plant into producing parts for EVs as "table scraps."

So, what does it mean for EVs and autoworkers if a certain candidate is elected?

The future of EVs?

One of the main roadblocks for EVs is infrastructure, which largely means charging stations. Under President Biden, the number of available charging stations in the country , with even more on the way. So, it is likely that this program would continue and expand under Harris if she becomes president.

Trump has in the past bemoaned the weaknesses of EVs and EV chargers, even though he has them available .

And the $500 million grant for GM? It’s part of a meant to convert auto factories to making EVs that has $2 billion earmarked through IRA funding. Harris seems poised to continue and expand here as well. However, that funding is something that Trump has promised to if unspent by the time he is in office, meaning that money wouldn’t be going to factories or autoworkers.

The other problem for Trump on the EV issue is .

As much as conservatives generally dislike EV technology and Trump’s historical dislike of China, would cede financial ground to China. This would further strengthen China in the global economy and leave the U.S. catching up, not just with vehicle production but also with a continued reliance on batteries.

So, it’s hard to know whether a second Trump administration would be good for EVs in general or specifically for Musk and Tesla.

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