It didn’t take long, as anticipated and even announced by Donald Trump. On January 20, 2025, the date of his inauguration as the 47th President of the United States, Trump signed a large number of decrees. Among these, electric cars are impacted, as the new American administration will no longer favor them, quite the contrary. European car manufacturers should soon be taxed, through customs duties, for their electric cars (BEV: Battery Electric Vehicles) exported across the Atlantic.
Some car manufacturers, including Ford Motor Company, struggling like others in terms of electric car sales, had anticipated Donald Trump’s return to the White House. Indeed, the blue oval brand relaunched the development of hybrid engines a few months ago. On January 20, 2025, Donald Trump ended the policy pursued by his predecessor Joe Biden by canceling the “Green New Deal”. Thus, among other things, the goal of selling 50% of electric cars on American soil by 2030 is over. This “pact” decided by Joe Biden was non-binding, it should be noted.
Donald Trump declared that he promises to “develop the automotive industry at a pace never seen before.” Electric cars are no longer a priority for the United States, and Trump added, “you will be able to buy the car you want!”
That’s not all, as the subsidies granted by the American government to develop charging infrastructure are stopped. Moreover, Donald Trump will work to annul the exemption granted to California regarding the ban on the sale of combustion cars by 2035, as in other states of the United States.
The decree signed by Donald Trump also indicates that he wants to reconsider the current federal tax credit (up to $7,500) that encourages Americans to switch to electric cars.
As mentioned in the introduction, the European automotive sector can tremble, as Donald Trump and his government team should implement additional customs duties for electric cars coming from Europe. If these same car manufacturers sell fewer 100% electric models in the United States, knowing that their situation is delicate in Europe, how can the EU uphold its commitment to ban the sale of new combustion and hybrid cars in Europe from January 1, 2035? The question should be raised.
Finally, what about Elon Musk? The presence of the Tesla boss in the new American government did not influence the decisions made very quickly by Donald Trump regarding electric cars. But Elon Musk’s new dreams are represented by travel to Mars, AI, and immortality. So everything seems to be explained.
The editorial team
Photos: Facebook Donald Trump
