Washington, D.C.—In response to reports that President Biden’s infrastructure plan contains $174 billion in funding for the U.S. electric vehicle (EV) industry, SAFE calls for bipartisan cooperation to overtake China’s vast control over the EV supply chain.
Admiral Dennis Blair, former Director of National Intelligence and Chairman of SAFE, said: “A robust and growing EV market and the industry to manufacture the vehicles is not only good for the world’s environment, but it is essential for American economic competitiveness and national security. China has already spent hundreds of billions of dollars on leading the transition to tomorrow’s connected, electric future, and is ready to spend hundreds of billions more. The funding announced in this plan is a strong start, but we must make sure this is funded to the fullest extent possible as the U.S. industrial base and our nation’s national security is on the line.”
Through its Commanding Heights Of Global Transportation initiative, SAFE has created a bipartisan, minerals-to-markets approach that ensures a robust supply chain—developed domestically and with allies—that is free from Chinese control, and a creator of the jobs of the future. Launched earlier this month, SAFE’s latest paper, The Commanding Heights Of Global Transportation: Quantifying the Employment Impact found that competing with China for leadership in tomorrow’s electric, connected transportation will create 647,000 jobs in the next 1- to 5- years.
China locking in control of the EV and battery supply chain is a threat for U.S. economic and national security. In addition to becoming dependent on Chinese domestic policy for the vehicles, materials and minerals for our connected, electric future, the strength and security of our automotive and industrial sector—the backbone of strategically-important U.S. advanced manufacturing—is also under threat.
Robbie Diamond, President and CEO of SAFE, said: “Our failure to compete effectively with China on the global transportation future will render us dependent on Chinese domestic policy for the minerals, materials and components that will underpin this connected, electric future. Bipartisan focus, cooperation and support for measures across the entire supply chain – from domestic mineral extraction to increased customer incentives for EVs – are required to prevent that. China is spending an order of magnitude more than the United States. Our economic and national security will both be under threat if we don’t meet their ambition.”
Contact: Alex Adams | 202.461.2374 | aadams@secureenergy.org
About SAFE
SAFE enhances the nation’s energy security and supports our economic resurgence and resiliency, by advancing transformative transportation and mobility technologies and ensuring that the United States secures key aspects of the technology supply chain to achieve and maintain our strategic advantage.
In partnership with the Electrification Coalition, SAFE’s sister organization, we work with consumers, businesses, and policymakers, to launch award-winning “real-world” programs and enable the needed polices to accelerate transportation electrification around the country to reduce our Nation’s dependence on oil.
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