Majority of voters favor gasoline-car phaseout. But all-electric goal faces tough opposition.
The U.S. House of Representatives has approved an ambitious plan, endorsed by President Obama and automakers, to phase out the sale of gasoline-fueled automobiles from 2015 to 2025. The proposal may not satisfy supporters of more expensive, cleaner-running electric cars, but it enjoys broad support from the public, including nearly two-thirds of voters whose views on energy are surveyed by the Pew Research Center.
The electric car push gained traction in the spring when the Obama administration announced that the United States would join other countries in phasing out gasoline-powered vehicles. The White House also unveiled a $7,500 tax credit, a subsidy for electric vehicles, as well as other new incentives aimed at helping people switch away from internal combustion engine cars.
While a few states, most notably California, are phasing out the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles, most U.S. drivers continue to drive them. According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, in 2011, about 11.8 percent of U.S. driving was done in cars that use gasoline for propulsion. The remaining 78 percent, about 8.1 percent, was done in electric vehicles.
Despite the broad support for an electric car push, the electric vehicle push faces significant opposition. While most U.S. states support phasing out the sale of gasoline vehicles, many states also oppose the federal phaseout in the electric vehicle subsidy program as part of a broader effort to phase out emissions-causing gas-powered cars. And there is now a small but growing movement to support phasing out the sale of gas-powered cars as well.
The Electric Car Debate
The electric car push gained traction in the spring when the Obama administration announced that the United States would join other countries in phasing out the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles. The White House also unveiled a $7,500 tax credit, a subsidy for electric vehicles, as well as other new incentives aimed at helping people switch away from internal combustion engine cars.
The idea of a nationwide, government-supported subsidy for electric car drivers is not at all new. California, for instance, has a law in place that provides a subsidy for electric car purchases. And in recent years, a wide variety of studies have provided convincing evidence that electric cars can reduce greenhouse gas emissions as well as reduce emissions
