Biden Administration Pushes for Electric Vehicles and... Big Oil?

As fuel prices skyrocket, biofuels advocates push for ethanol blends at the pumps… but the White House shows little support.

In a Senate Environment and Public Works Committee meeting this week, U.S. Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg says he supports biofuels, but stands by the Biden Administration’s push for Electric Vehicles.

“When you look at our EV policy, of course, the focus is on zero emissions vehicles. But I also have a great deal of regard for the role of biofuels and homegrown fuels in America's energy mix. And while our work on zero emission vehicles doesn't really allow us to pick winners and losers outside the boundaries of the categories put forward in the law, I certainly am interested in opportunities that exist and notably one area I think there's increasing interest.”

Iowa Senator Joni Ernst says short-term relief for fuel prices won’t come from electric vehicles.

“Well, that's a question we have been asking the administration because knowing and understanding that most homes aren't even outfitted to charge these electric vehicles. We don't have the necessary infrastructure to charge electric vehicles. So, this is a long, long ways off and yet, the administration has not addressed those concerns.”

Buttigieg later told MSNBC importing oil from Iran was one of the options “on the table” during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.