Americans losing steam on ‘climate change’, poll shows

A poll published this month from the Energy Policy Institute at the University of Chicago (EPIC) and The Associated Press–NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that Americans are losing enthusiasm for climate messianism and related policies.

According to the survey, 74% of respondents said they believe “climate change” is happening, but most (51%) don’t believe it is man-made. Man-made climate change is a central tenet to climate messianism. In 2018, 60% of Americans believed in man-made climate change, a number that has dropped 11 points — primarily among Democrat and Independent voters.

Still, Democrats rank climate change as the third most important issue out of six, while Republicans rank it last.

The poll also showed that most Americans support the installation of power lines to deliver “renewable energy” but not for themselves. Most Democrat voters and high-income earners expressed support for high-voltage renewable power lines, but it dropped when they were told the power lines would be built near their own homes. The change was smaller among Republicans, only a minority of whom expressed support for the power lines at all.

But the biggest change perhaps lies in how much Americans are willing to pay for climate change. In 2021 most Americans (52%) said they would be willing to pay a $1 “carbon fee”. Just two years later, that number has dropped to 38%. In general, the survey found that support for a carbon fee drops the more energy bills are impacted.

Finally, Americans appear nonplussed about buying electric vehicles (EVs). Only 19% of respondents — particularly those on the West Coast — said they are “very likely” or “extremely likely” to purchase an EV. Most Americans cite cost as the main driver for their decision to buy an EV, with 8 in 10 saying cost is a major barrier and 6 in 10 saying tax breaks would motivate them to purchase one.

But those Americans may be discouraged to know that not only are EVs more costly, the federal government has already provided such a tax break — but only a few EVs qualify.

The $7,500 EV tax credit in Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act of 2022, which takes effect this year, contains several caveats that limit the number of EVs eligible for the tax credit.

For one thing, new electric passenger cars and sedans must have a purchase price of $55,000 or less to qualify. The average EV, however, costs $61,000. Used EVs must have a purchase price of $25,000 or less and they must be at least two years old.

Furthermore, new EV buyers must make below a certain income threshold to qualify — up to $300,000 for married joint filers, and under $150,000 for single filers. For used cars, the numbers drop to half that amount.

Certain percentages of the battery components must be manufactured in North America, where the vehicle must be assembled. This further limits the number of eligible vehicles since 80% of lithium-ion batteries are manufactured in China, according to the Daily Wire.

When all qualifications are met, only ten vehicle brands are eligible for the tax credit: The Chrysler Pacifica, the Ford F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet’s Bolt, Blazer, Silverado, and Equinox, the Cadillac Lyriq, the Lincoln Aviator Grand Touring, and the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y.

Many EV buyers who were hoping for a tax credit may be further disappointed to learn that EVs are more expensive than their gas-powered counterparts beginning with a higher-registration fee.

Several US states are now imposing additional registration fees on EV owners. These states have pushed for “sustainable” and “environmentally friendly” alternatives but are now losing millions of dollars in gasoline tax revenue. Illinois Democrats, for instance, proposed charging EV owners a $1,000 annual registration fee to recoup the loss in gas taxes. After intense backlash, however, the Prairie State settled on charging EV owners a $251 annual registration fee, $100 more than their ICE (internal combustion engine) counterparts.

At least 19 states have imposed an extra annual registration fee for EVs ranging from $50 to $235, with Blue states such as Michigan and Georgia at the higher end.

In the United States, electric vehicles (EVs) are now generally more expensive to drive than gas-powered internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, according to a study published in January.

While upfront purchase costs may vary, the study found “[t]ypical mid-priced ICE car drivers paid about $11.29 to fuel their vehicles for 100 miles of driving. . . . That cost was around $0.31 cheaper than the amount paid by mid-priced EV drivers charging mostly at home, and over $3 less than the cost borne by comparable EV drivers charging commercially.”

The cost difference becomes even starker when factoring in EV drivers who need to recharge frequently at charging stations at an estimated cost of $14.40 per 100 miles.