By Jim Weldin, Vice Chair of the Delaware Republican Party
In an article published by Delaware Live, Senate Bill 103, sponsored by Senator McBride (D) would require new single-family homes with building permits issued after January 1, 2024, and multi-family homes with final site plans issued after January 1, 2025, to have electric vehicle charging stations.
While the concept of builders providing the option to home buyers to have EV charging stations constructed in their homes is a worthwhile endeavor, mandating that all homeowners must purchase this is wrong. Republicans have a history in rejecting the concept of government’s dictating what the market should and would influence in consumer choice. McBride’s comment, “The shift to electric vehicles is not ideological, it’s imminent and inevitable.”, is a self-fulfilling prophecy. The only reason the EVs are inevitable is because the government is forcing the purchase on the consumer, as they are forcing the purchase of EV charging stations in new homes. Polling has shown the public does not want to be forced into having to purchase EVs. The Republican Party sponsored workshops across the state attended by hundreds of people who listened to experts and members who attended these workshops express their opinions, pro and con. The vast majority of those who attended were opposed to the EV mandate.
Senator Dave Lawson (R) raised a serious question, how can the power grid support the extra demand of mandating the purchase of EV’s? California which developed the standards that Governor Carney and Democrats are forcing Delawareans to accept had issues this past summer where they asked EV owners to not charge their vehicles during peak electric demand hours because the electric supply could not meet the electric demand. Jamie Nutter representing the Delaware Electric Cooperative voiced concern about EV charging during peak energy usage times. Senator McBride, in response to this question, provides an illogical and sad response. Senator McBride advised it’s not the job of the bill to create more electricity. Apparently, Senator McBride fails to recognize the danger of mandating an increased usage in electric consumption without any fear of not being able to meet the increased demand. Who suffers from this lack of foresight? You the consumer will suffer.
Our position has been consistent from the beginning. If individuals wish to purchase electric vehicles this is their choice, along with the costs of providing for charging their vehicles. Government should not mandate these actions. SB 103 must be defeated.
