New initiatives aimed at expanding access to electric vehicles in U.S.

HUNTINGTON, W.Va. (WSAZ) - The future of vehicles in the U.S. could be going greener sooner than you think.

The Biden Administration is proposing plans to ensure two-thirds of new passenger cars and a quarter of new heavy trucks sold in the United States are all-electric by 2032.

Experts are calling it a lofty goal

While 2032 is only about nine years away, many things would have to change by then to achieve that goal.

Professor Asad Salem at Marshall University says it’s doable, and Americans should get ready to adapt as the technology advances.

It’s not without challenges. Salem says to charge this abundance of electric vehicles, you need places to charge them and an energy source. The country would have to massively increase their renewable energy production.

To that point, the process of charging the vehicles would need to be made as simple and convenient as stopping for gas.

Salem says on top of benefits to the environment, a greater number of electric vehicles would benefit the economy -- calling this the next industrial revolution.

“It’s going to create more jobs,” Salem said. “We are going to replace old jobs with newer jobs. Every time you replace old jobs with newer jobs, you get expansion.”

If you’re unsure about electric vehicles, Salem says it’ll be organic and gradual as the technology progresses. He also says the batteries will progress to a point where electric vehicles can be kept longer than they can now.

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