Yesterday, November 18, a coalition of 28 businesses—including automakers, electric utilities, EV-charging firms, and lithium companies—formed the Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA), a lobbying group advocating for national policies that will enable the total transition to electric vehicles sales by 2030. The inaugural members of ZETA include household names, like Tesla, Uber, and PG&E. However, notably, the group does not include traditional automakers which have their own established channels to influence lawmakers and administration officials.
Interestingly, while some states, like California, have announced commitments to ban the sale of combustion-engine vehicles in the near future, ZETA will not advocate for prohibition. Instead, it will support policies to incentivize electric car adoption, what they call point-of-sale consumer incentives, such as extending federal tax credits for new EV purchases. ZETA notes that the next decade is critical if zero emissions vehicles are going to make significant contributions to improving air quality, public health, and employment opportunities. Furthermore, to supplement point-of-sale efforts, ZETA will push for investment in EV infrastructure, such as charging stations and policies that will help manufacturers scale their production.
This development is significant as the automotive industry moves further and further away from traditional vehicles and into the electrified future. Joseph Britton, ZETA’s Founder and Director, frames the effort as a means to re-establish the primacy of American auto manufacturing over that of China, which has already poured billions into its own electric vehicle adoption efforts.
