Pete Buttigieg Criticizes Americans Resisting Electric Cars, Compares Them to Landline Loyalists

Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg took a swipe at Americans who are reluctant to embrace electric vehicles (EVs), drawing a parallel with those who were initially hesitant to adopt cell phones in the early 2000s. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America/Wikimedia

His comments come as at least eight Democrat-led states are poised to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2032. Erik Mclean/Wikimedia

During a Fox News interview on Tuesday, Buttigieg was questioned about the reported downturn in Tesla and EV sales, despite the Biden administration's push for their adoption. Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America/Wikimedia

He responded with a dismissive tone, saying, "Let's be clear, the automotive sector is moving toward EVs and we can't pretend otherwise. Sometimes, when these debates happen, I feel like it's the early 2000s and I'm talking to some people who think that we can just have landline phones forever." Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America/Wikimedia

Buttigieg further asserted that the United States faces a choice: "fall behind China or we can claim the lead. President Biden wants to make sure that those EVs are made in America as more Americans choose EVs." Photo by Rivian/Wikimedia

He also took a jab at the Trump administration, suggesting it had allowed China to "build an advantage in the EV market." Gage Skidmore from Surprise, AZ, United States of America/Wikimedia

Despite Wall Street bracing for the first Tesla sales decline in four years and waning appetite for electric cars, Buttigieg maintained that "consumers have wanted and purchased more EVs every single year than the year before and Tesla is facing more competition as GM, Ford and other competitors make sure they get a piece of the EV market." crudmucosa/Wikimedia

The Biden administration's push for EVs is supported by several planning to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles within the next decade, with others considering similar measures. The White House (Potus at Instagram)/Wikimedia

Based on the Advanced Clean Cars II legislation, starting with model year 2035, automakers will only be permitted to sell vehicles with zero tailpipe emissions in the states that have adopted these regulations. Martin Geiger/Unsplash

Although the rules do not require Americans to get rid of gas-powered vehicles they already own, the newly announced federal regulations are designed to incrementally eliminate new gasoline-powered passenger cars from the market by 2032. MDGovpics/Wikimedia

The regulations mandate that automakers cut tailpipe emissions from new vehicle models by approximately 50 percent between 2026 and 2032. Erik Mclean/Unsplash

American car manufacturer Dodge has discontinued its famous Hemi V-8 engines and recently introduced an all-electric Charger model. Mustang Joe/Wikimedia

Under Biden's new rules, automobile manufacturers will ultimately have to discontinue producing new models powered solely by gasoline engines, which could spell the end for modern revivals of iconic high-performance muscle cars that were popular in the 1960s and 1970s. The White House/Wikimedia