This national mission for EVs is one of more than a dozen that comprise the New Consensus Mission for America. These missions are designed to work together to form a comprehensive solution for getting to net-zero emissions while building a more prosperous economy for all. They are designed to be ambitious but realistic, given one condition: that America elects federal leaders who are committed to renewing the U.S. economy while getting to net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible.

Introduction

This document provides a blueprint for the National Mission for Electric Vehicles, outlining the key policies, programs, and actions needed to transition the American auto industry to 100% EVs and tripling annual auto production. Unlike the full report, which details industry context, challenges, and implementation, this blueprint focuses on the actionable framework for success.

These mission blueprints are intended for industry experts, policymakers, and other readers who need a clear, accessible way to absorb the key elements of each plan. They do not include the background information, industry context, or in-depth analysis found in the full-length national mission chapters. While we encourage all readers — especially policymakers — to explore the complete reports for a deeper understanding of the industries and solutions involved, we recognize that many professionals may not have the time to do so. These summaries are designed to offer a more digestible version of each mission’s core goals and strategies.

Each blueprint begins with three brief overview sections introducing the Mission for America, the role of the president, and the Reconstruction Finance Corporation. These topics are explored in much greater detail in the Mission for America introduction. Readers who have already reviewed that material — either in the introduction or in another mission summary — may wish to skip directly to the section The National Mission for Electric Vehicles.

The National Mission for Electric Vehicles

The global auto industry is experiencing the two most significant developments since the invention of the internal combustion engine. How the American auto industry responds will shape the industry’s fate and, by extension, the fate of America’s climate goals.

The first is the rise of China. In 2007, China produced eight million cars and trucks, slightly fewer than the United States. Today, it manufactures nearly 30 million vehicles annually — one-third of annual global production. This explosive growth has reshaped the global automotive landscape, positioning China as the dominant player in vehicle production.

The second is the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). The only way to reduce emissions from transportation — responsible for 28% of global emissions — is to replace fossil fuel-burning internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) with EVs powered by clean electricity. To meet their climate goals, many governments have begun subsidizing EV production and use. Automakers have responded by steadily increasing investment in EV production and infrastructure. These investments and policies have begun to pay off and the cost of manufacturing EVs is steadily decreasing. In the not-too-distant future, most cars on the road in developed countries will be EVs.

The changing global auto industry could be a source of great renewal or great peril for the American auto industry. Leaders from the auto industry, unions, and the government could come together to create long-term investment plans to win back market share from China and build the world’s leading EV industry. This path would enable America to move towards net-zero emissions, create millions of good jobs, and restore the auto industry to its former glory. Or, the auto industry, unions, and government could fail to adapt to the new market and continue to pursue short-term gains at the expense of long-term investment. This path will imperil America’s climate goals, give China more control over the industry, and make the U.S. reliant on imported EVs.

This national mission is a plan to capitalize on the changing global auto industry by rebuilding the American auto industry and producing 100% EVs in ten years. It has three overarching goals: expand American auto production to 30 million EVs per year, have all new passenger vehicles sold in the U.S. be EVs in ten years, and have most cars on the road be EVs in ten years. Many smaller goals help contribute to these larger goals. The specific goals of this national mission are to:

Reduce the cost of manufacturing EVs through economies of scale and building a domestic supply chain for component parts.

Expand the number of automakers producing EVs in the United States by investing in startups and encouraging foreign auto manufacturers to begin producing EVs in the United States.

Expand domestic manufacturing of EV batteries and battery components.

Build the world’s largest EV charging network to give Americans the confidence that they can charge their EV anytime, anywhere.

Ensure that EVs are efficiently integrated into the power grid and assist, not impede, the transition to 100% clean energy.

Provide sufficient consumer incentives to help Americans purchase an EV.

Create an ICEV buyback program to get old, polluting cars off the road.

Tripling American vehicle production, having 100% of new vehicle sales be EVs, and getting to nearly 100% EVs on the roads all in ten years are ambitious but achievable goals. Progress is already being made on all of these goals. Many consumers are already switching to EVs or have expressed their desire to. In the third quarter of 2024, EVs made up nearly 10% of all passenger vehicles sales. The “Big Three” American automakers — Ford, General Motors, and Chrysler (now owned by Stellantis) — foreign automakers, and new startups have begun expanding their EV manufacturing capacity. The solutions offered in this mission, combined with the rest of the Mission for America, will enable automakers to build on this progress and achieve the goals of this mission.

Furthermore, this national mission is not uniquely ambitious by historical standards. It is not unusual for even well-established industries to make the kind of leap it calls for. Japan and Germany made similar leaps in auto production over 10-year periods in the 1960s and 1970s. As previously mentioned, China accomplished an even bigger leap between 2007 and now, all with an auto industry operating since the 1950s. The United States has all of the necessary economic and political resources it needs to make a similar leap; what it has lacked is a leader who uses these resources effectively.

Solutions Overview

The National Mission for Electric Vehicles addresses key challenges in the transition to EVs with three comprehensive, interconnected solutions. Each of the three solutions outlined here targets a critical aspect of the transition — expanding the domestic manufacturing of EVs, building a reliable national charging network, and encouraging consumers to purchase an EV through incentives and financial assistance. Together, these solutions form a comprehensive strategy to assert the United States as the global leader in EV production and transition America’s passenger vehicle fleet to 100% electric. This section summarizes each solution section’s goals and overall strategy.

Solution 1: Expanding Domestic EV Manufacturing

Transitions the American auto industry to producing 100% EVs and increases domestic vehicle production to 30 million vehicles a year.

The American auto industry, once the envy of the world, has been in serial decline due to years of mismanagement and underinvestment. This solution section outlines a new industrial policy strategy to reverse this decline and once again make the American auto industry a global leader. The policies introduced in this section will triple national EV production capacity and create the world’s first 100% EV auto industry. The strategies of this solution section include:

Helping automakers expand EV manufacturing capacity by providing large-scale, long-term financing through the RFC.

Launching innovative new EV start-ups by providing low-interest financing and taking equity stakes in promising new companies.

Attracting foreign automakers to build EV factories in the United States with competitive incentives and personal outreach from the president and RFC team leader.

Expanding tax credits for investments in EV factories.

Winning and maintaining the support of auto companies and unions by showing that the EV national mission is a win-win for business and labor.

Solution 2: Building a National Charging Network

Builds the world’s largest EV charging network.

Most people will not buy an EV until they are confident they can easily charge their EV whenever necessary. Providing this confidence requires building millions of EV chargers in homes, businesses, and public spaces across the nation. However, a tricky chicken-or-egg dilemma is slowing the rollout of new charging stations. Until a substantial number of EVs are on the road, many charging stations will go unused or be unprofitable — but most Americans will not buy EVs until chargers are abundant. This solution addresses the dilemma by reducing the up-front risks of investing in EV infrastructure through subsidies, low-interest financing, and grant programs. It also establishes regulations to ensure charging infrastructure is widely accessible and seamlessly integrated into the power grid. The strategies of this solution section include:

Restoring and expanding federal subsidies for investments in EV charging stations at commercial properties.

Empowering homeowners to install EV charging through expanded federal subsidies and with low-interest financing through the Upgrade America Loan Program.

Creating grant programs to deploy chargers in underserved areas and repair broken charging stations.

Requiring utilities to adopt measures such as managed charging, bi-directional charging, and integrating EVs into microgrids and virtual power plants.

Ensuring that public EV charging stations are accessible to all Americans by requiring charging stations to use a standardized charger and one-tap payment system.

Partnering with large parking lot owners, such as grocery stores, through RFC-led investment deals to deploy public chargers in high-traffic areas.

Building EV charging infrastructure at all federally owned interstate rest stops to support long-distance travel.

Solution 3: Consumer Incentives and Subsidies

Provides incentives and financial assistance to buy an EV.

The high cost of EVs compared to ICEVs is a significant barrier to the transition to EVs. Today, most Americans still view EVs as a luxury purchase. EV manufacturers have made progress in reducing costs, and some models will reach price parity with ICEVs in a few years. Unfortunately, price parity alone will not be enough to drive mass adoption. For this mission to succeed, EVs must be notably cheaper and more convenient than ICEVs — so much so that Americans are clamoring to make the switch. This section outlines a plan to accelerate this shift, including generous consumer subsidies for EVs and a buyback program for older ICEVs. The major strategies of this solution section include:

Banning the sale of new ICEVs starting ten years after the launch of the national mission by setting strict emissions standards for new vehicles.

Expanding consumer tax credits such as the Clean Vehicle Credit (known by many as the EV tax credit) to reduce the up-front price difference between ICEVs and EVs.

Creating a federal buyback program for ICEVs, modeled off of the Cash for Clunkers program, where the federal government will buy old ICEVs from Americans.

Using the presidential bully pulpit to demonstrate the benefits of EVs to the American people and build popular support for the transition.

Solution Summaries

This section summarizes the specific actions proposed in the complete National Mission for Electric Vehicles. Each solution is organized by the actor responsible for implementation — Congress, the president, the Reconstruction Finance Corporation (RFC), and the executive branch (administrative state) — though not every solution involves all four actors.

Solution 1: Convince Global Automakers That Investing in the U.S. Is a Good Bet

President

Make the EV national mission central to the Mission for America presidency. The EV mission is perfectly suited to represent the Mission for America. The mission centers on cars and trucks and the practicalities of operating and owning them — something that directly affects nearly everyone’s lives. Moreover, no industry is closer to America’s heart and identity than the auto industry. The EV national mission will help reintroduce the idea of national economic mobilization and revival through the Mission for America.

Don’t wait for Congress. One of the advantages of starting with the EV mission is that much of it can be accomplished without Congress passing any laws. By publicly convening leaders from the auto industry, labor, Wall Street, venture capital, and other sources of capital, the president can set the EV mission in motion before even being sworn into office. The more the president succeeds at winning the support of the industry and the American people — and does so on TV, radio, and social media in front of voters — the harder it will be for Congress to drag its feet.

Win the support of industry leaders and stakeholders. The President must win the support of auto industry leaders and stakeholders to drive the EV national mission. Building personal relationships with executives, shareholders, and unions should begin early in the campaign. The president should use public events at factories and headquarters to highlight the industry’s role in America’s economic revival. Praising leaders who embrace this mission will inspire confidence and help the public envision a presidency focused on mobilization and national renewal.

Choose a respected industry leader to head the RFC EV team. The President must appoint a respected and skilled industry leader to head the RFC EV team. This leader should have deep expertise in the auto industry and the trust of industry stakeholders. Their role will be to deploy public financing, broker deals, fill critical gaps where private investment falls short, and act as the public face of the national mission. A qualified, respected leader will ensure the team can address gaps in the EV supply chain and drive production forward.

Get the United Auto Workers on board. The President must secure the support of the United Auto Workers (UAW) by pledging that auto workers will share in the economic gains from the auto industry’s revival. Union backing is essential to maintain political momentum for the Mission for America and to build a trained workforce to scale production. The President should emphasize that automakers can be profitable while paying high wages, as seen in other countries such as Germany and Japan, and commit to supporting the UAW’s right to negotiate better pay and conditions throughout the EV transition.

Confront opposition from entrenched interests head-on. The President must confront opposition to the EV mission and use resistance from entrenched interests as an opportunity to rally public support. If American automakers resist the goals of the mission, the president should spotlight foreign automakers willing to invest in America and pressure domestic companies to adapt. If established automakers refuse to participate, the RFC should prioritize funding EV start-ups to lead the charge.

RFC

Finance the development of new EV factories. The RFC must provide large-scale, long-term financing to expand EV manufacturing and rebuild the American auto industry. Using tools like low-interest loans, loan guarantees, equity investments, and purchase guarantees, the RFC can encourage automakers to make big capital investments and support start-ups that lack resources to compete. It can also build government-owned contractor-operated (GOCO) factories or launch public corporations to address supply chain gaps when private capital falls short. Modeled after past industrial mobilizations, the RFC’s flexible financing options will accelerate EV production, create jobs, and drive America toward an all-EV future.

Seek out partnerships with any automaker willing to invest in American EV manufacturing. The RFC must actively pursue partnerships with automakers of all sizes and origins to drive bold investments in American EV manufacturing. While initial efforts should focus on securing commitments from major American automakers — such as Ford, GM, Chrysler, and Tesla — the RFC must quickly expand its outreach to include start-ups, such as Rivian, as well as foreign manufacturers to expand their investment in American manufacturing. Offering financial support and strategic assistance, the RFC can help these companies scale operations to meet the ambitious targets of the EV national mission.

Assist the president in convincing top auto industry leaders, parts suppliers, and relevant financiers to embrace the mission of re-establishing the American auto industry as a global leader. The RFC will continually court key players in the auto industry after the president has launched the EV national mission. Many automakers, perhaps even some who were optimistic at the start of the national mission, will become skittish when their investments fail to yield immediate returns. This sense of unease will inevitably be compounded by activist shareholders who will urge CEOs and board members to give up on the EV national mission at the slightest setback, perhaps after a single disappointing quarterly earnings report. The leader of the RFC EV team must work alongside the president to counteract the short-term thinking endemic to corporate America and keep auto industry leaders confident and committed to the EV national mission.

Executive Branch

Launch a federal EV procurement policy, with a goal of a 100% American-made EV federal fleet in ten years. All new federal vehicle purchases will be American-made EVs and agencies will be given a goal of having a 100% EV vehicle fleet in ten years. This policy will help reduce the government’s direct emissions while guaranteeing demand for American manufacturers. The RFC EV team will advise agencies on how to pace purchases to ensure steady purchases without disrupting consumer markets.

Congress

Authorize and fund the Reconstruction Finance Corporation’s EV mission. Congress should authorize and fund the RFC’s EV mission to expand the American auto industry and accelerate the transition to an all-EV future. While the RFC can independently create teams and make investments, congressional authorization would protect the program from legal challenges and political reversals. Clear legislative backing would ensure long-term stability, safeguarding progress even if future administrations or Congress oppose the Mission for America’s goals.

Expand the Advanced Energy Project Tax Credit. The Advanced Energy Project Tax Credit (AEPTC), often referred to as the 48C Clean Manufacturing Tax Credit, is an investment tax credit for new manufacturing projects that produce a “qualifying energy project.” In the context of the auto industry, manufacturing EVs or battery components is considered a “qualifying energy project.” Congress should expand the credit to be available to all qualifying projects, make the credit direct pay, and extend it for ten years from the start of the national mission.

Solution 2: Building a National Charging Network

President

Assure Americans that charging stations will be everywhere. The President must make a direct promise to Americans that EV charging stations will be widespread, reliable, and accessible to all. This effort will involve publicly organizing commitments from business leaders, mayors, and governors to build and operate charging infrastructure, creating visible momentum and public confidence. Televised events featuring CEOs of major retailers, restaurants, and charging companies pledging to install hundreds of thousands of chargers can generate excitement and reinforce the message that EV charging will be convenient and readily available nationwide.

Charge someone to lead a RFC team to build the national charging network and support them. The RFC EV team is distinct from most other RFC teams because it will have two leaders tasked with different parts of the mission: one of expanding manufacturing and another for deploying chargers. The President must appoint a dedicated leader within the RFC’s EV team to oversee the development of a national charging network and provide full support to ensure its success. The charging leader should have the expertise and determination to manage complex negotiations with varying types of businesses, resolve disputes, and accelerate the deployment of public chargers.

Win adequate commitments from relevant business leaders and local and state governments. The President must secure firm commitments from business leaders and state and local governments to build the charging infrastructure needed for widespread EV adoption. This includes partnering with retail, parking, and dining chains to host chargers and working with governments to install stations in parks, public buildings, and on streets. While legislative measures will incentivize early investments in charging infrastructure, strong presidential leadership will be essential to drive coordination, ensure timely action, and build confidence that the charging network will be ready as EV adoption grows.

RFC

Invest in the manufacturing of charging equipment. The RFC must invest billions in scaling up domestic manufacturing of EV charging equipment to meet the massive demand required for an all-EV future. The RFC will provide financing, loan guarantees, and equity investments to expand operations at existing manufacturers like EVgo, ChargePoint, and Tesla, while also funding start-ups and potentially launching new companies to diversify the supply chain and boost competition. Given that chargers are relatively simple to produce, this sector will likely grow quickly once the RFC provides the capital and a sense of urgency.

Include the costs of EV chargers and relevant home electrical upgrades in the Upgrade American Loan Program. The RFC will include the costs of EV chargers and necessary home electrical upgrades in the Upgrade America Loan Program to make home charging more affordable and accessible. This program offers grants and low-interest loans to help households decarbonize their homes and vehicles, with grant amounts based on income and loan terms available to all families regardless of income.

Finance the development of public charging stations at major businesses. The RFC should finance the deployment of public Level 2 and DC fast chargers at major businesses across the country, prioritizing companies with high daily traffic and national footprints. For instance, installing 12 chargers at each of the 3,500 Walmart Supercenters would increase the number of public EV chargers by 33%. While loans will be available to all relevant businesses, the RFC should strategically secure high-profile deals early to maximize their impact.

Overcome any hesitancy from business leaders through personal leadership and savvy dealmaking. The RFC must be prepared to address any hesitancy from business leaders about investing in public EV charging stations through strong leadership and creative dealmaking. Business leaders may resist early investments, citing uncertainty about EV adoption rates or concerns about scaring shareholders with large upfront costs. The RFC should rely on the credibility of the president and the RFC EV team leader — ideally an experienced industry figure — to assure businesses of the government’s commitment to the EV mission and the inevitability of widespread EV adoption.

Work with the Department of Transportation (DOT) and state leaders to identify any areas lagging behind in charging deployment. While larger metropolitan areas will naturally have more chargers, every community — including rural and underserved areas — must have sufficient infrastructure to support a near-100% EV fleet. The RFC EV team leader should work closely with federal, state, and local officials to monitor and resolve gaps in the charging network.

Encourage the use of microgrids with public charging stations. The RFC should promote the integration of microgrids with public EV charging stations to reduce grid congestion, stabilize energy prices, and improve grid resilience. Microgrids are especially valuable in locations with a large number of chargers, such as workplace parking lots, where simultaneous charging could otherwise cause sudden spikes in electricity consumption. The RFC will offer lower interest rates, extended repayment terms, or other incentives for companies that include microgrid technology in their charging projects to encourage companies to use microgrids.

Coordinate with other RFC teams to ensure that infrastructure upgrades to a given area are done efficiently. The Mission for America will require extensive infrastructure upgrades — such as electrical infrastructure improvements, EV charger installations, and road modifications for bike lanes or public transit — that could all occur on the same streets. Completing these projects separately would lead to repeated disruptions, higher costs, and wasted time. The RFC should establish a dedicated coordination team to align timelines and scopes across its programs and with local officials to avoid this. While the RFC cannot override local decisions, this coordination will encourage comprehensive planning, minimize disruptions, and streamline infrastructure deployment.

Executive Branch

Require federal facilities to install American-made EV charging stations. The federal government should require the installation of American-made EV charging stations at federal buildings, national parks, interstate rest stops, and other federally-owned properties to expand charging infrastructure and support domestic manufacturing. With 350,000 buildings, hundreds of rest stops, and 423 national parks, the federal government can act as a significant source of demand for domestic charging manufacturers. Installing chargers at federal sites will encourage EV adoption among the millions of federal employees and visitors, serve as a testing ground for bidirectional charging technologies, and provide accessible charging options across the country.

Congress

Restore and expand the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Tax Credit. Congress should expand and extend the Alternative Fuel Vehicle Refueling Property Tax Credit to accelerate the development of a national EV charging network. Congress must make the credit fully refundable, increase the payout to 75% of costs and set it to gradually phase down over time, and extend the credit for ten years. The modified credit will be paid out over the course of five years and charger operators must demonstrate that their chargers are still operating to receive the credit each year.

Create a grant program within the DOT that provides support for adding EV charging infrastructure for states. Congress should create a long-term grant program within the DOT to fund EV charging infrastructure for states, counties, and municipalities for ten years. This program will support charger deployment in key locations such as street parking, public buildings, schools, parks, and highways. States must submit deployment strategies demonstrating a commitment towards a sustainable, financially viable charging network.

Create a grant program within the DOT to help build EV chargers in underserved areas. Congress should establish a dedicated grant program within the DOT to fund EV charging infrastructure in underserved areas, focusing on low-income and rural communities. While the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act allocated $2.5 billion for this purpose, additional funding is needed to fully support deployment in areas where private investment is very low. In the early years of the transition, EV chargers in these regions will need to be publicly funded to ensure accessibility for residents and travelers.

Earmark funds for the repair and maintenance of charging infrastructure in underserved areas. Congress should earmark funds within DOT formula grants for both building and maintaining EV charging infrastructure in underserved areas, ensuring long-term reliability. Many chargers in low-income and rural communities fall into disrepair due to low usage and lack of prioritization by states and private companies. This neglect creates issues for drivers and discourages future EV adoption by contributing to the popular narrative that the EV charging network is not reliable. To address this, funding must be divided between new installations and ongoing maintenance, providing subsidies to keep chargers operational until EV adoption increases in these areas. Congress should only fund this program for the first few years of the transition, and make clear to EV charging owners that this is only a temporary measure until EV uptake increases.

Require that utilities plan for an all-EV nation in their Decarbonization Pathway Studies. In the national mission for clean power, we introduce the concept of Decarbonization Pathway Studies (DPS). A DPS is a new review and planning process that all utilities will undertake to estimate future electricity demand and how to meet demand with 100% clean energy. The DPS will help utilities plan for the considerable infrastructure investments necessary to accommodate rising demand from EV adoption.

Require that utilities include plans for adopting managed charging strategies to mitigate grid stress and high energy costs in their DPS. Managed charging strategies reduce stress on the grid by making consumer and business charging behavior more efficient. Managed charging strategies include time-of-use rate setting, staggered charging in large commercial EV fleets, vehicle-to-grid integration, and more. Encouraging utilities to adopt managed charging strategies will help smooth the transition to 100% clean energy and 100% EVs.

Allow privately owned EV charging and expand parking at federally owned interstate rest areas. Congress should amend outdated regulations that prohibit commercial activity at interstate rest stops, allowing private companies to install EV chargers and create a nationwide charging network at over 1,400 rest areas. Congress must also fund rest stop upgrades through the Federal Highway Administration, including expanded parking and modernized facilities.

Create a new loan program through the Small Business Administration for gas stations, truck stops, and other businesses affected by the EV transition. Congress must authorize a new Gas Station Conversion Loan program within the Small Business Administration (SBA) in order to offer low-risk loans to gas stations to prepare for an all-EV future. To succeed in the EV age, gas stations will need to invest in more than just charging stations. Charging an EV battery to an adequate level takes considerably longer than filling up a gas tank. The average EV takes 20-45 minutes to gain a mostly full charge even when using a top-of-the-line fast charger. Gas stations may come to be used as a convenient place to pull over and pick up some extra range quickly when one’s battery is running low. Many drivers will need quick charges at unexpected times, for which gas stations equipped with fast chargers could be perfect. Drivers without reliable access to home charging could rely on gas stations as a place to charge up a couple of times per week while getting a cup of coffee, a sandwich, or a lottery ticket.

Require a standardized charging network. Congress must work toward a standardized charging network by requiring that all new EV chargers work for all EVs without having to use an adapter or pay an additional fee. EV companies should be free to continue to build, own, and operate EV chargers, but not to make their chargers exclusive to their cars. Proprietary charging facilities that are already in operation should be allowed to continue but opened for use by drivers of any brand of car via adapters.

Ensure easy payments for charging. All EV chargers must be required to have wireless, “one tap” payment systems. The goal is to create a charging network free from fragmented payment systems that necessitate individual accounts or separate applications. Instead, drivers should have the assurance that they can use any charging station knowing that, if payment is required, a simple tap of their card, phone, or watch would complete the transaction swiftly and securely.

Require new vehicles and chargers to have Vehicle-to-Grid bidirectional capabilities. Congress should pass new vehicle standards mandating that all EVs produced five years after the launch of the national mission have vehicle-to-grid (V2G) bidirectional capabilities. V2G is the capacity for an EV and connected charging equipment to transfer power from the car battery to an external system such as a home or directly to the utility grid. These standards must include intelligent controls that allow owners to manage battery usage and receive compensation for supplying energy. Ensuring that EVs and chargers are V2G-ready, will create a vast, distributed energy storage network that will help support a 100% clean energy grid.

Solution 3: Providing Sufficient Consumer Incentives and Subsidies

President

Promise Americans that EVs will be cheaper than ICEVs. The president must use the bully pulpit to change the narrative on EV prices. This is simply a matter of repeating that the national mission for EVs is going to reduce EV prices and make them more affordable than ICEVs and explaining the mission’s policies over and over.

Wrestle with automakers to keep EV prices down. The national mission for EVs will bring the president and the RFC team into a close working relationship with automakers. The government will be providing many billions of dollars in assistance to the industry and other forms of assistance that are beyond valuation. This will give the president and the RFC team leverage with the industry, and that leverage should be used to prevent the industry from taking advantage of subsidies to raise prices unnecessarily.

Challenge Americans to compete. The president needs to make the case to the American people that EVs are the future of transportation whether America gets in the game or not. The president should lay out the facts about the rise of the Chinese EV industry, and challenge Americans to compete globally in autos again. The president should tie this competition into a broader narrative about the revival of American industry in general in the context of the Mission for America as a whole — and work to make buying an American EV come to be thought of as a patriotic act.

Congress

Expand the Clean Vehicle Credit for EVs. The Clean Vehicle Credit offers a tax credit of up to $7,500 to taxpayers who purchase a new EV. The credit was first implemented in 2009 but was modified significantly in the Inflation Reduction Act. Congress will need to further modify the credit to meet our goal that 100% of all new passenger vehicles sold in America be EVs in ten years. Congress must increase the payout of the credit, make the credit direct pay for all consumers, allow all domestically produced EVs to qualify for the full credit, increase the payout rate for low-income Americans, and allow taxpayers to claim the credit twice a year, and expands the credit to include used EVs.

Ban the sale of new ICEVs starting ten years after the start of the mission. Congress must direct the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to revise Fuel Emission Standards to prohibit the sale of new gas-powered vehicles starting ten years after the national mission begins, ensuring all new cars sold after that date are electric. This policy does not ban the use of existing ICEVs but establishes a clear regulatory deadline for automakers to transition to 100% EV production. Setting this target early in the EV mission provides certainty for consumers and manufacturers, driving investment in EV production and infrastructure while encouraging consumers to adopt EVs before the deadline. With the average lifespan of ICEVs ranging from 10-15 years, this ban ensures near-total EV adoption by 2050.

Create an ICEV buyback program. Congress should create a federal buyback program to phase out used ICEVs and accelerate the transition to EVs. Administered by the Department of Transportation, this program would offer rebates to Americans who trade in their ICEVs, providing vouchers for point-of-sale discounts on new EV purchases. Once collected, the vehicles would be recycled, with recovered materials directed toward domestic clean technology industries. This approach not only incentivizes EV adoption but also prevents used ICEVs from oversaturating the resale market and slowing the transition.