Harris who backed ban on gasoline-powered cars tells Michigan supporters, I will never tell you what car you have to drive

Vice President Kamala Harris on Friday hit the brakes hard on her previous support for banning gasoline-powered cars, pledging that she will “never” tell Americans “what car you have to drive.” Harris, 59, made the remark during a campaign rally in Flint, Mich., where she also promised to “retool existing factories” and push policies that support innovation in “advanced batteries” and “electric vehicles.” “Michigan, let us be clear: Contrary to what my opponent is suggesting, I will never tell you what kind of car you have to drive,” the vice president said. The vice president’s declaration is an apparent response to a Trump campaign ad running in Michigan, which claims, “Kamala Harris wants to end all gas powered cars.” “Crazy but true,” the ad continues.“Harris’s push requiring electric-only is failing big and Michigan auto workers are paying the price.”In her Senate days, Harris championed an electric-vehicle mandate – which her campaign now says she is opposed to. As a California senator, the Democrat co-sponsored legislation in April 2019 that sought to ban the sale of gasoline-powered vehicles by 2040. The Harris-backed Zero-Emission Vehicles Act of 2019 – introduced by Sen.

Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Rep.Mike Levin (D-Calif.) – was announced as a “bold plan for transitioning the United States to 100% zero-emission vehicles.” The bill would have forced automobile companies to transition away from fossil fuels by requiring 50% of new passenger vehicle sales be zero emission cars by 2030.

The mandate would ramp up 5% each year until 2040, when 100% of new vehicles sold would be required to be electric or hydrogen powered. “After model year 2040, the [Environmental Protection Agency] Administrator may issue an injunction on the manufacture of any passenger vehicles other than zero emission vehicles by a vehicle manufacturer,’’ reads the text of the proposed legislation supported by Harris. When Har...