During Tuesday night’s State of the Union address, President Biden highlighted the role traditional auto manufacturers are playing in the drive toward widespread EV adoption.
“That’s what is happening. Ford is investing $11 billion in electric vehicles, creating 11,000 jobs across the country. GM is making the largest investment in its history: $7 billion to build electric vehicles, creating 4,000 jobs in Michigan,” he said.
Biden was right to say long-standing automakers will help lead the country’s auto industry into the EV future. Automakers like Kia, Ford and GM have built EVs consumers find both practical and versatile, but it’s local dealerships that have offered these cars at prices that everyday Americans can afford.
During his speech, President Biden also promised to create a “national network of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations.” Local dealerships will be crucial to that network because they already are leading the way in expanding charging access across the country.
Local dealerships are helping to install over 40,000 charging stations in underserved rural areas through GM’s Dealer Community Charging Program. Thanks to local dealerships, Level 2 charging stations are coming to “workplaces, multi-unit dwellings, sports and entertainment venues and colleges and universities,” in communities across the United States.
The bottom line is this – the President’s State of the Union address outlined an EV future that can only be made possible by traditional automakers and local dealerships. Consumers are eager to embrace the next wave of EVs, and local dealerships in communities across the country have been and will continue to ensure those EVs are available to as many Americans as possible.