Going Electric is as American as It Gets.

How the transition to electric vehicles is protecting our soldiers and economic independence.

As we usher in the July 4th holiday, I can’t help but wonder why electric mobility is so often viewed as a political issue when there are so many patriotic reasons to support the transition to electric transportation. 

In looking through my Facebook feed this weekend, it was hard to miss the numerous posts encouraging us all to remember the lives lost in the name of the freedom we all enjoy today. Those reminders took me back to my recent visit to the American Cemetery on the shores of Normandy where many served their final mission to protect our rights. Without question, we should honor those sacrifices this July 4th, on all of our patriotic holidays, and frankly, everyday. 

But does this have to do with driving electric cars? 

Wars happen for many reasons, including economic ones, like controlling the cost and supply of oil. In recent decades, there have been numerous battles fought over oil because of global demand and dependency. In the book, Over a Barrel: The Cost of U.S. Foreign Oil Dependence, John S. Duffield, a Professor of Political Science at Georgia State University, shared that half of the oil and related products consumed in the U.S. (~12 million barrels per day in 2008) is sourced from outside the country. That continues to be true today; however, now American consumption is closer to 20 million barrels of oil per day, and roughly 55% of that comes from domestic sources (source: U.S. Energy Information Administration). 

So what are the costs of U.S. foreign oil dependence? 

The answer isn’t an easy one, but the one that resonates with most of us is how it impacts our wallets. It’s something we have all experienced and felt over the last year as the Ukraine War unfolded. The Russian invasion drove up oil prices, forcing Americans to pay more to fill their cars and heat their homes. But petroleum is also used for so many other things like asphalt, chemicals, plastics, and synthetic materials that are in nearly everything we use and yes, in some cases, generating electricity, but more on that in a moment. 

In other words, when the price of oil increases it penetrates every part of our lives. There are also numerous intangible costs like the military investment in both time and money, the other national security measures required, the dollars spent bolstering diplomatic efforts and foreign governments, and yes, the lives lost if and when war breaks out. Given these high costs, why as a country, would we put that type of power over our society into someone else's hands? 

What about all our U.S. oil? 

According to the U.S. Energy Information Administration, there is the equivalent of ~38.2 billion barrels of untapped oil reserves under U.S. soil; however, while it sounds like a lot, it really isn’t. Remember Americans used ~20M barrels a day which equates to ~7.3B barrels of oil per year. In other words, the U.S. supply is not bottomless and we could burn through that supply relatively quickly, even at 50% production like we currently do. The bottom line is that we as a country need to diversify now to protect our national interests. 

What is a realistic strategy moving forward? 

Depleting our U.S. resources simply doesn’t make sense because scarcity, whether it be foreign or domestic, has negative economic implications for everyone. Plus, emptying our tanks so to speak, only makes our country more dependent on foreign oil and vulnerable to foreign powers in the future. Therefore, a strategy of diversification that includes deepening our investment in renewable energy is critical for our economic and diplomatic futures. 

The reality is that this isn't an all or nothing situation. Oil will likely be part of our future and the associated industries like refining cannot and are not going to disappear overnight, but that doesn't mean we shouldn’t prepare for the future, and yes, that future includes electric cars. 

Currently in the United States, about 60% of our electricity is generated from fossil fuels including coal, oil and natural gas, and all of those energy sources have been steadily contributing less to our electrical supply, especially coal, over the last several decades. Even beyond reducing our energy dependency on fossil fuels and other countries’ fossil resources, tapping into renewable power sources has huge economic benefits for the country as well as all of us as individuals. 

The sun and wind are free and bountiful.

So that’s not entirely true. While the sun and the wind may be free to everyone, the tools used to harness them are not. They are, however, more efficient and more affordable, and becoming increasingly more so by the day. In fact, Oxford University Scientist Doyne Farmer found in his research that replacing fossil fuels with renewables would bring energy prices down for all of us. “It’s not just cheap, it will make money,” he stated. 

Surprised? “People think it will cost a lot of money to throw away our whole energy system and replace it,” Farmer writes. “But we’re always doing this.” He goes on further citing gas stations as an example which are currently replaced about every 25 years, much like fleet vehicles are replaced every 5-7 years. Meaning that it’s already part of our everyday business strategy just a different set of tools. And these new tools will create new jobs and infuse more growth into our economy, reinforcing our economic strength as a nation. 

Taking the argument a step further, studies show that even if you charge your electric car with electricity produced with coal or natural gas, EVs are still cheaper and cleaner to operate. In fact, in January 2023, SmartCar reported EVs are three-to-five times cheaper to drive per mile than a gas car including both fuel and maintenance. Just imagine a world without oil changes or muffler replacements and brakes that last longer. Better yet, you can reduce your fuel bill by more than 50% each month. This is economic independence for you while also protecting our nation’s global prowess. 

So there is patriotism in electric cars. 

In my mind, anything that does better by our citizens is patriotic - whether it’s adding real tangible economic benefits or making us less dependent and less susceptible to other nations' power whims – especially if it keeps our soldiers out of harm’s way. 

Plus, the bipartisan Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) passed by Congress last fall is ensuring this trajectory is bigger than energy independence, bringing additional jobs and investment opportunities to the United States. EV charging manufacturers like ChargePoint, Tritium, Kempower and others are building plants here, revitalizing rural towns and cities, Tesla has been made in America since the beginning and is only growing its U.S. investment with production facilities in California, Texas, Nevada and New York, Rivian revived a previously closed Mitsubishi Motor Manufacturing plant in Illinois, Lucid opened a production line in Arizona and U.S. automakers are setting the universal standards for the world. What could be more patriotic than that? 

Written by Margaret-Ann Leavitt, Chief Marketing Officer at National Car Charging & Aloha Charge