Utah Gov. Spencer Cox is among a group of 16 Republican governors who wrote to President Joe Biden urging a change to his administration’s push to put more battery powered vehicles on the road, citing concerns for U.S. consumers and infrastructure.

In their letter issued Monday, the governors asked that in lieu of a federal mandate that 2 out of every 3 vehicles be battery electrics by 2032, consumers be left to make their own decisions.

“While we are not opposed to the electric vehicle marketplace, we do have concerns with federal government mandates that penalize retailers and do not reflect the will of the consumer. Even with deep price cuts, manufacturers’ incentives, and generous government funding, federal mandates on electric vehicles are unrealistic,” the letter states.

The governors also pointed to the need for capable and reliable energy grids and ample charging stations to support EV drivers, as well as a call for more domestic EV battery production.

“Bolstering the domestic critical minerals industry is an essential step to realizing any long-term, responsible electric vehicle battery production. Given China’s current action atop the global electric vehicle production, mandating electric vehicle use too quickly can also present a national security risk,” the governors wrote.

In a post on X sharing the letter, Cox wrote that Biden’s push for EVs “penalizes retailers and doesn’t reflect the will of the customer.”

Utah has ranked among the top 10 states for nonfuel mineral production for the past decade, according to the Utah Geological Survey’s 2023 report.

According to a December 2023 fact sheet released by the White House, under Biden “EV sales have tripled and the number of publicly available charging ports has grown by nearly 70%.”

Joining Cox in the letter were:

• Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders
• Idaho Gov. Brad Little
• Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds
• Louisiana Gov. Jeff Landry
• Missouri Gov. Mike Parson
• Montana Gov. Greg Gianforte
• Nebraska Gov. Jim Pillen
• Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo
• New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu
• North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum
• Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt
• South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem
• Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
• Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin
• Wyoming Gov. Mark Gordon

Utah News Dispatch is a nonprofit, nonpartisan news source covering government, policy and the issues most impacting the lives of Utahns.

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