Montana Representative Randyn Gregg recently introduced Joint House Resolution Number 12, which requests that the U.S. Congress remove any requirements or obligations to purchase electric vehicles. President Trump recently repealed Biden’s Electric Vehicle Mandates that were passed in 2021 that aimed to have 50% of all new vehicles sold in the U.S. by 2030 be zero-emission or electric.
This resolution (if adopted) gives numerous reasons why Montana applauds Trump’s actions. Below are some of the examples.
The most obvious in the resolution is that Montanans rely on gas-powered vehicles for personal, business, and recreational purposes. About 60% of petroleum consumption in Montana is due to transportation uses. It would take a massive shift to accomplish the previous goal of 50% of vehicle sales to be electric. Montana currently has less than 1% of registered vehicles being electric. It’s obvious that this sales shift would not take place if it weren’t for government intervention in Montana. If this influx does take place, it should be because of the consumer’s choice, not a federal mandate.
Another logistical reason is the average range for an EV is anywhere between 110 and 300 miles, and charging stations are rare across the state. Of the 60,500 stations across the country, only 120 of those are in Montana. As the 4th largest geographic state in the country, this shows that there is not the infrastructure needed to support any sort of large influx of EVs traveling on the roads.
Lastly, due to Montana’s rural terrain, there is a need for 4-wheel drive vehicles that can handle rough gravel roads and surfaces. Currently, there are very few electric vehicles that hold that capacity. Of those that are suited for off-road functions, the average price is roughly $78,868. This is largely unaffordable for most citizens and would put a lot of blue-collar workers in a tough position.
Due to its large agrarian workforce, there is a huge need for trucks, and SUV’s that can get around on a farm and haul around heavy materials. It is widely known that EVs don’t have nearly the same capacity to carry as much added weight due to their battery size. Specifically with trucks, a recent study by AAA found that electric trucks lose more range than gas-powered trucks to a load in the bed. They tested the 2022 Ford F-150 lightning with a 1,400-pound load in the bed. They learned that of its 300-mile range, it could only last 210 miles which is a 24.5% range loss.
Based off the U.S. Energy Department's estimates, the average gas-powered truck would only lose 14% of its fuel tank’s range with the 1,400-pound load. Over time, this 10% loss in range makes driving around an EV truck on a farm incredibly inefficient. The resolution makes the case that hard-working Montanans shouldn’t be punished this way.
This resolution brings up several good points. Every reason given in this bill to oppose a federal mandate of EV purchases could be applied to almost every state in the union. If a certain state wants to make its own standard, that is completely their decision. But every state has its own economy, geography, and demographics. Along with the hauling, charging, and logistical problems; a federal EV mandate takes the power away from the states.