How will all those EVs work when the power goes out due to storms? Where’s the power going to come from for all those EVs? There can only be so many dams (and don’t forget that the eco-loons want to get rid of dams)
Maine forced to delay vote on EV mandate amid widespread power outages
A top Maine state environmental agency delayed a highly-anticipated vote to approve a sweeping electric vehicle (EV) mandate amid a storm that caused widespread power outages.
The Maine Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) announced that it had indefinitely postponed the meeting, which was slated for Thursday afternoon, until further notice following the storm. Democratic Maine Gov. Janet Mills, who has pursued an aggressive green energy agenda, declared a state of emergency this week, an action that closed state government offices. (snip)
BEP, which is required to prevent, abate and control pollution in the state, voted in late October to approve the Advanced Clear Car Program, which would mimic regulations in California mandating that more than 40% of new car purchases in the state be electric by 2027 and 82% be electric by 2032. The agency was expected to finalize that mandate during the meeting on Thursday.
The state proposal, though, has faced considerable bipartisan opposition from state lawmakers led by Republicans, but also from Rep. Jared Golden, a House Democrat. Golden noted this week that a strong storm would render electric vehicles useless, given their need for reliable electricity generation and supplies.
Surprisingly, it gets pretty cold and snowy in Maine. There are lots of areas where homes and cabins are off the grid. How does an EV get there? Also, no one is asking the most important question: are the voting members of BEP owners of EVs themselves? How about Janet Mills?
Meanwhile
GM buys out nearly half of its Buick dealers across the country, who opt to not sell EVs
General Motors said nearly half its Buick dealers took buyouts this year rather than invest in selling and servicing electric vehicles as the automaker’s brands transition to all electric by 2030.
That means GM will end 2023 with about 1,000 Buick stores nationwide, down 47% from where it started the year.
Late last year, Buick said it would be asking dealers to commit a minimum investment of $300,000 to $400,000 to prepare their stores to sell and service EVs.
“Buick is transforming, launching the best vehicles the brand has ever had and is the fastest growing mainstream brand in 2023,” said GM spokesman Sean Poppitt in an email this week to the Detroit Free Press. “This all needs to be supported by the best customer experience in the transition to EVs. As stated before, this year we’ve given dealers who are not aligned with Buick’s future to exit voluntarily in a respectful and structured way; with the full support of our National Dealer Council.”
Are Buick customers clamoring for EVs?
Read: Gore Effect: Maine Forced To Postpone Vote On Forced EVs Due To Power Outage »