In the past couple of years, electric vehicles became a political issue as both the auto industry and consumers felt pressure to accelerate adoption. I got the impetus behind the push: the need to slow pollution, which is never a bad idea, in my mind. 

The U.S. also saw the need to compete with the rapidly rising Chinese auto industry, which has pulled ahead on EV development, production and sales. China-based automaker BYD passed U.S. EV market leader Tesla in global sales last year.

One by one, U.S. automakers made plans for all-EV lineups by next decade, and California banned the sale of new gas-powered vehicles in 2035, a move followed by 11 other states. But consumer demand failed to rise with the expectations. ISeeCars.com declared in July that EVs have peaked in the U.S. after starting to flatten late last year. 

Manufacturers had already pivoted to a more realistic vision of power train by choice – offer all of the types and let the consumer pick from among them, a very democratic, capitalistic concept.

The Trump administration has taken a car crusher to various EV incentives, from federal tax breaks, which will now expire in October, to pulling previously approved federal funding to states for EV charger development. In June a federal judge ordered the administration to reverse the latter in 14 states that sued over the freeze. Congress, meanwhile, killed California’s zero-emissions vehicle mandate.

While I think it makes sense to incentivize clean energy in whatever form, recalibrating the approach to EV development seems like a wise correction. 

I was talking with a friend recently about wishing I’d bought a hybrid years ago. I didn’t want to be a guinea pig but feel now that I waited too long. We both agreed that we’re uncomfortable with the idea of a purely electric model for charge-range anxiety reasons. In addition to higher prices for new EVs, insufficient public chargers in less-developed areas is a top impediment to adoption.

Now that the American foot has eased up on the EV accelerator, it seems there should be time to get all of the infrastructure in place for those who want to make the switch. Others can opt for hybrids or different clean technologies, like biodiesel and hydrogen if those models end up making practical sense. 

Hopefully as group, we’ll clear the air while also retaining consumer discretion.