EV policy was one of the top issues for Michigan voters in the 2024 Presidential election. And in a situation where the policies of the Biden administration have created some of the most jobs, the negative messages may have helped deliver a significant boost to Donald Trump.
That's the conclusion of a postmortem report by the American EV Jobs Alliance, which noted that by Election Day, more than $30 million had been spent in Michigan on TV ads about EVs—94% of the total $35.5 million spent on EVs— political ads across the country.
The impact of EV policy on the Presidential vote – American EV Jobs Alliance
Pro-Trump ads often focused on the false narrative that Vice President Kamala Harris would ban internal combustion engines if elected, which has destroyed jobs in Michigan's auto industry, according to the report. But Democrats mostly did not respond to ads defending the party's EV policies, with 89% of ads attacking Democrats.
Evil had an impact, the report said. In a poll conducted two weeks before the election, most Michigan voters believe that pushing for more EVs would be bad for Michigan jobs, and 73% of auto industry families believe this. More than half (61%) believe that pushing for more EV sales would be a bad thing in Michigan, and more than one-third believe it is “probably true” that Democrats plan to ban gasoline vehicles.
2022 GMC Hummer EV pre-production at Factory Zero plant in Detroit, Michigan
Michigan has gained nearly 20,000 new manufacturing jobs through EV investments, and has carved out more space with examples such as the EV conversion of GM's Lansing Grand River plant, otherwise at risk of closure, aided by $500 million in state funding designated by Biden . to manage. But the lack of positive advertising means that those benefits and examples were largely unknown to voters in the state, the report concluded.
Ignorant Michigan voters may feel the consequences of their actions. The incoming Trump administration is likely to reduce EV investment. During the campaign, Trump reportedly nixed EV incentives in exchange for a $1 billion Big Oil donation, and repealing the EV tax credit is reportedly high on his reform party's agenda. And while China's CATL is willing to negotiate with Trump over the US battery industry, his party has written legislation to end subsidies for batteries based on Chinese technology.