Exploring the Political Divide on EVs and Banning Gas Cars

It’s no secret that there is a sharp political divide in place concerning EVs and any eventual ban on the sales of gas cars. Polling reveals that people who identify as Democrats are far more likely to buy an EV than those who identify as Republicans. On the other hand, most centrist Democrats agree with Republicans on opposing a ban on gas car sales.

Why EVs Have Become So Polarizing

There are a few factors contributing to the political polarization of EVs. One is undoubtedly that those with pro-EV stances also tend to want the sale of gas cars banned in the near future. This has likely caused Republicans, who are usually pro-gas cars, to oppose EVs. However, according to polling by The Hill before the 2024 election, several states like Minnesota, Virginia, Maryland, and New Jersey showed that Republicans, Independents, and many Democrats opposed the banning of gas vehicles.

In other words, there isn’t strong support among regular people for banning gas-powered cars and pressure toward it from certain segments of the Democrat Party has led to an equally strong stance from many Republicans against EVs, even if this doesn’t make sense on the surface.

There’s another factor at play as well. One is that promoting EVs as the future at the expense of gas cars is very offensive to many low-income and rural Americans who either can’t afford an EV or where they live simply can’t accommodate it. For example, apartments generally don’t have charging stations.

The Divide Keeps Deepening

Auto dealers have seen EV models pile up on their lots, and often that happens in Red States where the attitude toward EVs is colder than in Blue States. The divide continues to deepen as President Trump has already made efforts to remove EV incentives and will also likely challenge California’s Biden-era waiver that allows it to ban gas car sales in the future.

If Trump isn’t able to outright remove California’s gas car ban, then there will most assuredly be lawsuits from Red States, oil and gas producers, and the auto industry. The Trump administration will also likely revoke the Clean Air Act waiver through the regulatory process. If that spurs lawsuits from California’s side, there’s still another shortcut.

The Congressional Review Act allows simple majorities of the House and Senate to overturn any recent rule by a regulatory agency as long as the president approves. Obviously, President Trump is likely to approve any such action.

The Tesla Wildcard and Elon Musk

Ironically, the very company that spurred the EV revolution is now a politically polarizing force as well. Before Elon Musk threw his influence behind Donald Trump, Tesla vehicles were selling in droves to mostly left-leaning customers. In Blue States like Washington, seeing a Tesla on the road is as common as seeing a gas car.

Now, the question is if Musk’s politics drive away left-leaning buyers, will that translate to right-leaning buyers? It’s difficult to say since many people who identify as Republican are still very much against EVs. Many industry voices have said that, unless Republicans start buying EVs, the numbers will simply never be there.