From Paris Without Love: A Cautionary Tale for America

October 22, 2024

According to a recent report, France is pleading for “flexibility” from the European Union on their stringent car emissions rules. As Power The Future has consistently warned: you can’t legislate physics. No matter what politicians would like to happen, thermodynamic properties will not change just because a lawmaker wants them to, and France is just the latest country to re-learn this truth as top-down EV mandates prove effective at only two things: driving manufacturers out of business and raising prices for consumers.

Back in the U.S., the Biden-Harris administration’s aggressive push for electric vehicles and strict emissions standards will likely lead to similar economic distress and job loss. This cautionary tale highlights the need to reject government EV mandates and support a more balanced energy policy that doesn’t fear oil and gas. As the Financial Times reports:

“France is pushing for ‘flexibility’ on tougher car emissions rules next year that could spell billions of euros of fines for European carmakers already struggling with slowing demand for electric vehicles.”

The EU’s 2025 emissions rules mandate that carmakers must cut emissions by 15% compared to a 2021 baseline or face hefty fines. French economy minister Antoine Armand is now seeking wiggle room, arguing that penalties should consider the economic context and industry development. This backpedaling is a clear sign that aggressive emissions targets and EV mandates are not working as planned.

“You can’t have sanctions without taking into account the economic context and the development of our industry in France and in Europe,” France’s economic minister said.

The pressure from carmakers to delay or weaken emissions rules is a stark reminder that the transition to EVs is not as smooth or straightforward as proponents claim. With slowing demand for electric vehicles and concerns about job losses, Europe is waking up to the harsh realities of an overly aggressive green agenda. America must heed this warning and avoid making the same mistakes.

The EU ban on internal combustion vehicles from 2035 would lead to “massive shrinking of the industry as a whole,” warned Oliver Zipse, chief executive of BMW.

France’s push for flexibility on EU car emissions rules is a cautionary tale for America. The Biden-Harris administration’s aggressive EV mandates and emissions targets threaten to bring similar economic hardship and job losses to the U.S. American politicians should prennent en compte l’avertissement, or heed the warning, of this bitter breakup from the city of love, before the U.S. experiences a similar désastre.