US

‘Almost Impossible’: Billionaire Democrat Donor Can’t Even Get An Electric Car Right Now

(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

Daily Caller News Foundation logo
Jack McEvoy Energy & Environment Reporter
Font Size:

Billionaire businessman and climate activist Tom Steyer is currently unable to purchase a new electric car due to a long waiting list, according to Bloomberg.

It is “almost impossible” to buy an electric vehicle (EV) at the moment since suppliers cannot meet the surging demand for EVs, Steyer told Bloomberg in an interview. Steyer stated he was concerned about the push to get more EVs on the road amid current the state of the EV market because of the long waiting lists EVs like the extended-range electric Ford Mach-E Mustang which costs around $44,000. (RELATED: ‘Extremely Challenging’: California Poised To Ban Gas-Powered Car Sales)

“The problem is there are no (electric) cars to buy,” Steyer told Bloomberg.

The former presidential candidate stated that he previously drove a Chevrolet Volt for around 7 years; however, he said that he needed a new car as some of its systems are now “failing.”

Ford is facing difficulties in its efforts to manufacture more EVs like the Ford Mustang Mach-E; the automaker laid off 3,000 employees on Aug. 22 to fund its efforts to sell more EVs. Supply chain problems as well as material price hikes and shortages are causing many EV makers like Rivian to struggle to meet customer demand as hundreds of thousands of preorders pile up.

As a result, many popular electric vehicles have waiting lists that last months, according to The New York Times.

Ford CEO James Hackett (R) and a team member reveal the company’s first mass-market electric car the Mustang Mach-E, which is an all-electric vehicle that bears the name of the company’s iconic muscle car at a ceremony in Hawthorne, California on November 17, 2019. (Photo by MARK RALSTON/AFP via Getty Images)

Steyer launched an activist climate fund to invest billions in “decarbonization” efforts in 2021, according to CNBC. In 2013, Steyer also founded NextGen America, an activist group that seeks to mobilize young voters on climate and other issues.

Steyer ran for president as a Democrat in 2020 on a platform focused on fighting climate change, implementing “climate justice” and investing heavily in green energy. He was also the all-time leading Democrat donor in 2019 before he entered the race, according to OpenSecrets.

Steyer said he was “thrilled” the Democrats’ massive climate bill that President Joe Biden signed into law on Aug. 16 aimed at accelerating the national transition toward green energy. ” The $369 billion package includes a $7,500 tax credit for purchasing new electric cars under the price of $55,000; however, the law immediately restricts the credit to EVs that are assembled in North America.

The bill will also implement a wide range of policies including subsidies and incentives to help the green energy industry to further Joe Biden’s ambitious climate targets which seek to slash carbon emissions by phasing out fossil fuels.

Steyer did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.

All content created by the Daily Caller News Foundation, an independent and nonpartisan newswire service, is available without charge to any legitimate news publisher that can provide a large audience. All republished articles must include our logo, our reporter’s byline and their DCNF affiliation. For any questions about our guidelines or partnering with us, please contact licensing@dailycallernewsfoundation.org.