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# Californians Are Beginning to Think Twice About Newsom’s EV Mandate
 January 23, 2025
## Key Takeaways
1
The recent wildfires in LA County have awakened people further to the limitations of the electric vehicles Governor Newsom has mandated they buy.
2
Electricity availability for charging stations, brownouts, and blackouts could limit EV owners’ ability to evacuate during a wildfire.
3
Californians are gravitating towards hybrids (gas-electric) over pure electric vehicles, which are being pushed by green NGOs and Newsom.
4
Hybrid sales are rising faster than EV sales, and automakers are responding with new hybrid offerings.
The wildfires in Los Angeles have made people realize that electric vehicles (EVs) are not reliable because of . Power outages have resulted from high winds, and L.A.’s wildfires have magnified the grid destruction. If your only vehicle is electric and only charged to a fraction of the battery’s range when evacuation orders come, you may be in serious trouble getting to a safe destination, as Californians are now figuring out. Evacuees can expect EV stations to have massive lines and delays and may not even have power if the electric grid cannot supply it. Furthermore, power companies can turn off their power to avoid sparking a fire and . None of this is the case with gasoline-powered cars, whose sales Governor Newsom is  with increasing EV sales mandates beginning next year.
**If Not Electric Vehicles, Then What**
As EV owners are finding out,  which includes setting up a home charger that may require an electrical upgrade, calculating routes for longer distance travel to find where charging is available, and searching for working public chargers when charging stations are jammed or chargers are inoperable, which is often happening.
Many Californians, still environmentally conscious and burdened by the state’s s, are turning to hybrid vehicles. According to automobile data company Edmunds, hybrid sales were up , to 1.8 million vehicles. For the same years, EV sales were up a lower amount—, respectively, to 1.2 million vehicles—and down from a 45% growth rate in 2022.
Most big auto companies are turning their focus to hybrids. Ford has  EV rollouts in favor of hybrid vehicles. . Hyundai, whose Ioniq 5 and other mid-priced electric cars are selling well,  the Hyundai Way program that offers an array of powertrains emphasizing hybrids and plug-in hybrids. Hyundai hybrid sales were up , while EV sales rose at a lower rate—28%. Auto companies predict faster EV growth in the future as drivers become more comfortable with EV infrastructure, but, in the meantime, they are meeting consumer demand for hybrids.
, both traditional hybrids and plug-ins. Both types combine a small car battery with an internal combustion engine, achieving better gasoline mileage under certain traveling conditions. A traditional hybrid does not need to be plugged in because it uses a gasoline engine to recharge. A plug-in hybrid has a larger battery—typically 30 to 50 miles in range—and . It can run solely on the battery until depleted, and the combustion engine takes over, extending the driving range using gasoline.
**Other Issues Come with Politically Acceptable Electric Infrastructure**
How electricity is generated to fuel electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids is also an issue. Newsom has increased California mandates for “green energy,” much of which is weather-driven and intermittent wind and solar power, which needs as backup expensive but politically favored storage batteries. Recently,  in Monterey County that the company claims is the largest in the world, requiring the county sheriff to order evacuation and closure of surrounding streets. The storage facility, completed in 2023, stores  of excess generation when it is available. The energy from the storage battery is released at a later time when the sun is not shining, and the wind is not blowing. In 2021, the battery complex also suffered damage from a malfunctioning heat detector, and in 2022, a small fire broke out at an adjoining battery plant owned by Pacific Gas & Electric.
Clearly, safety is an issue with three storage battery fires in three years. Those concerns  last year in Morro Bay to block Vistra, the battery company, from getting local permits to construct a battery facility near a power plant. Despite the , the project is going through a fast-tracked California permitting process because it is politically favored.
**Conclusion**
Wildfires and power outages in Los Angeles have made Californians think twice about owning a full-fledged electric vehicle because they are worried about the ability to fully charge their vehicles amidst high winds and wildfires and the ability to evacuate if their electric vehicle is not fully charged. Instead, they are looking for hybrid vehicles like many other Americans. U.S. hybrid sales are up more than EV sales, as they allow drivers flexibility in fuel choice while allowing the EV infrastructure to develop. Automakers are also focusing on hybrids, with more hybrid models coming out in 2025.
### Tags
##### January 2025
## President Trump Sets an Example for His Federal Work Force on Day 1
## Energy Suicide Means Civilizational Decline
##### Samuel Peterson
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# President Trump Sets an Example for His Federal Work Force on Day 1
 January 22, 2025
President Donald J. Trump had a whirlwind first day in office on January 20th, including ordering federal workers to return to offices many had seldom attended since COVID and signing some 200 executive orders, many redirecting federal policies on energy.
Trump declared a ‘national energy emergency’ to speed up energy production and projects.
He reversed many of Biden’s initiatives aimed at Alaska’s enormous energy, mineral, and natural resource wealth, including reopening ANWR and the National Petroleum Reserve–Alaska.
He paused all actions by federal officials on wind energy projects on- and offshore. At the same time, the program is evaluated for its economic viability, environmental impact, and grid impact. It specifically halted a project in Idaho that elected officials and locals opposed, and it was built on federal lands.
5
He withdrew the United States from the U.N. Paris Climate Accord.
6
His executive order to cut environmental regulations lays aside government-ordered standards for home appliances mandates to automakers to make increasing numbers of electric vehicles and frees up LNG projects the Biden Administration had placed on hold before the 2024 election.
President Trump signed  on his first day in office–some in front of his many supporters in the Capital One Arena and others during a press conference in the Oval Office.  He is mandating that the federal workforce return to their offices rather than working from home or other remote facilities and begin work on his agenda, in some cases, providing specific dates for reporting back on progress. His first-day executive orders , including declaring a national energy emergency, opening Alaska to energy development that his predecessor had precluded, revoking Biden’s electric vehicle goals, any reviewing onshore and offshore wind energy, and withdrawing the United States from the U.N. Paris Accord that fueled much of Biden’s climate agenda. President Trump rightly wants energy markets to be allowed to work and consumers to decide what vehicle, appliance, or heating source is best for their needs.
**Executive Order Declaring a National Energy Emergency**
President Trump declared a ‘national energy emergency’ to bolster domestic fossil fuel production and reduce energy costs. This initiative is part of his administration’s agenda to overturn policies that prioritized green energy above more affordable and reliable alternatives. The national energy emergency will allow Trump to use executive powers to roll back Biden’s regulations, develop new energy infrastructure, and lower consumer energy prices. By declaring an emergency, the government can use special powers, such as the , to speed up the production and distribution of energy, prioritizing energy projects and resources. This will help projects meet rapidly increasing electricity demand, which is being made worse by policies promoting intermittent renewable energy, which is leading to skyrocketing electricity rates in places such as California.
**Alaska’s Executive Order**
This  further progress on the Alaska Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Project, removes resource restrictions within the  (NPR-A) and other parts of the state, protects Alaskans’ hunting and trapping rights on federal lands, restores unlawfully canceled  (ANWR), advances the  and the King Cove Road allowing residents access to medical care, revokes Biden administration regulations that imposed the 2001 Roadless Rule on Alaska and removes hurdles preventing Alaska Native people from receiving the lands they are due.
**Executive Order to Cut Environmental Regulations**
President Trump signed an executive order focused on reducing regulatory burdens, particularly those related to electric vehicles and household efficiency standards. The order seeks to streamline the approval process for energy projects and eliminate what the administration views as unnecessary red tape. The order lifts the  (LNG), directing the U.S. Department of Energy to resume processing applications for new LNG export permits, reversing the pause implemented by former President Biden in early 2024.
**Executive Order to Withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement**
President Trump signed an executive order directing the United States to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, which will relieve the United States from the international climate commitments that the Biden administration used to support its climate agenda that are economically burdensome. He noted that U.S. citizens bear much of the cost and burden of the agreement while China and others are free to produce energy unencumbered by U.N. strictures. The withdrawal process will take one year.
**Executive Order on Wind Energy**
President Trump’s executive order on wind energy, titled “Temporary Withdrawal of All Areas on the Outer Continental Shelf from Offshore Wind Leasing and Review of The Federal Government’s Leasing and Permitting Practices for Wind Projects,” deals with both offshore and onshore wind on federal lands and waters. President Trump ordered all federal agencies to immediately assess “the environmental impact of onshore and offshore wind projects upon wildlife, including, but not limited to, birds and marine mammals.” Under the Biden Administration, agencies were ordered to , and 
It also addressed “the impacts on ocean currents and wind patterns, effects on energy costs for Americans –- especially those who can least afford it –and to ensure that the United States is able to maintain a robust fishing industry for future generations.” Offshore wind is extremely expensive— Further, these cost estimates do not account for the need for backup power when the wind does not blow. The politically preferred backup technology is very expensive and huge batteries, whose facilities have caught on fire in California and Arizona.
Existing leases are not affected outright, but they are under review. The order states that the “Secretary of the Interior, in consultation with the Attorney General, as needed, shall conduct a comprehensive review of the ecological, economic, and environmental necessity of terminating or amending any existing wind energy leases, identifying any legal bases for such removal, and submit a report with recommendations to the President, through the Assistant to the President for Economic Policy.”
The executive order would halt the development of the controversial . The project, slated to be built on federal land near the Minidoka National Historic Site, has fierce opposition from both the government and the Japanese-American community in Idaho. The project spans 104,000 acres and includes 241 turbines with a maximum height of 660 feet. Opponents are concerned about its effects on recreation, ranching, wildlife, and the preservation of Minidoka National Historic Site—a site of a former incarceration camp for Japanese-Americans during World War II.
President Trump had a very busy day on January 20, 2025, for his inauguration festivities and to begin reversing the disastrous energy policies of the Biden administration. He issued 200 executive orders, many geared toward increasing affordable and reliable energy for American consumers and allowing them to choose the vehicle and the appliances that best support their needs. President Trump recognizes that the best path forward is to allow markets to determine the most economical, efficient, and reliable energy sources for American consumers and businesses. Many Biden policies that need to be overturned will not be as easy as writing an executive order. Still, his administration is well on its way toward the goal with the right direction clearly outlined in his 200 executive orders. The new president managed to accomplish this after his inauguration at noon, signing many executive orders at the Capitol One Arena, where inaugural celebrants were gathered after extreme cold forced the first indoor inaugural since Ronald Reagan’s second one in 1985.
## IER Releases the American Energy Blueprint
## Californians Are Beginning to Think Twice About Newsom’s EV Mandate
# IER Releases the American Energy Blueprint
WASHINGTON DC (01/22/2025) – Today, the Institute for Energy Research (IER) unveiled the , a comprehensive set of policy recommendations to guide the new Trump administration’s approach to energy policy. The *American Energy Blueprint* outlines key reforms in areas such as federal land and water use, expanding consumer choice, reducing subsidies, curbing government spending and taxation, streamlining regulations, and modernizing the permitting process.
Tom Pyle, President of the Institute for Energy Research, issued the following statement with the release of the report:
> “President Trump is swiftly fulfilling his pledge to reform the reckless energy policies of the Biden-Harris administration. As the world’s leading energy producer, America excels at generating energy more efficiently, safely, and cleanly than any other nation. In the early days of his presidency, he is taking significant steps toward delivering on that commitment.
>
> “However, much remains to be done. The American Energy Blueprint is a roadmap for achieving an energy policy that promotes economic growth, fosters innovation, and ensures reliable, affordable energy for all Americans. We are confident that by following these principles, the new administration can strengthen the nation’s energy future.”
IER’s recommendations are grounded in several core principles:
**Free Markets:** History has demonstrated that private property rights, market competition, and the rule of law are essential to providing affordable energy, enhancing living standards, and fostering a cleaner environment.
**Objective Science:** Public policy, especially in the realm of environmental issues, should be driven by objective, evidence-based science rather than emotional appeals or speculative scenarios that often lead to counterproductive government interventions.
**Public Policy Tradeoffs:** Policies that aim to address market failures in the energy sector must also account for the potential for government failure. It is critical to recognize that government actions, influenced by politics and bureaucracy, rarely mirror the idealized outcomes envisioned by policy advocates.
**Efficient Outcomes:** Policy decisions should consider the interests of energy consumers, producers, and taxpayers in a balanced and efficient manner, seeking outcomes that benefit all stakeholders.
**Impartial and Unbiased:** Government policies should be transparent, simple, and technology-neutral. This approach will encourage investment in the energy sector and drive innovation.
**IER Experts Available For Interview On This Topic:**
**Additional Resources**
#### For media inquiries, please contact 
## The American Energy Blueprint
##### Kenny Stein
# Consensus Builds: We Need To Support Domestic Energy Production
### “The answer is simple. Drill. Pump. Repeat…Let’s unleash American energy production.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Garrett Hawkinspresident of the Missouri Farm Bureau
### “While gas is still a substantial part of the energy mix, we want to make sure that the Europeans do not have to source that gas from Russia.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Jake SullivanNational Security Advisor
### “We must recommit as a nation to embracing all-of-the-above energy solutions.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Joe ManchinU.S. Senator (D-WV)
### “There is a case to be made for the American producers to increase production.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Ernest MonizFormer U.S. Energy Secretary
### “We need more supply. … We need oil and gas production to rise to meet current demand.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Jennifer GranholmU.S. Energy Secretary
### “They have the capacity they need to go get more oil here in the United States, and [President Biden would] encourage them to do that.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Jen PsakiWH Press Secretary
### “And now as prices continue to soar it’s time for the industry to step up and help the American people.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Rep. Lisa Blunt Rochester(DE-At Large)
### “So, my question to all of you is, will you step up? Will you increase production, and commit to increasing production, and for how much during April?” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Rep. Darren Soto(FL-9)
### “Increasing production will meet demand and bring down prices.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Rep. Kim Schrier(WA-08)
### “Your companies need to do their part to increase production to meet demand.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Rep. Frank Pallone(NJ-6)
### “We believe that an obvious path forward to achieve this is earnestly pursuing a higher-level of American energy independence.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Jim Kirkospresident and CEO of the Meadowlands, NJ Chamber of Commerce
### “We’ve got to find a way to reskill, retool, bring those people back to the industry. The second, is we need to find a better way to get capital to the industry, and that will come with more regulatory certainty.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Ramanan Krishnamoortipetroleum engineering professor, University of Houston
### “In this moment of crisis, we need more oil supply.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
### “We’ve called on industry to boost production.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Nancy PelosiSpeaker of the House (D-CA)
### “We need domestic increase in oil production.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Ro KhannaU.S. Congressman (D-CA)
### “We have to get prices down and the best way is to take full advantage of all we have domestically.” Print Friendly, PDF & Email
Josh GottheimerU.S. Congressman (D-NJ)Load More