Biden vetoes Republican block on $7.5 billion EV infrastructure plan
Republicans, and a couple of Democrats, have been pushing back on President Biden’s $7.5 billion plan to extensively build out EV infrastructure in the US by focusing on a short-term waiver that allows federally subsidized EV chargers to include materials from China. No can do, say Republicans aiming to block the waiver – but Biden exercised his veto power, for now at least.
The Republican-backed legislation was aimed at reversing the Biden’s administration’s waiver of Reagan-era “Buy America” requirements for government-funded electric vehicle (EV) charging stations, reports Reuters. The waiver offers some leeway in sourcing materials to make EV chargers outside the US, but opponents say it forces US taxpayers to subsidized Chinese-made products, and hurts American steel and iron companies.
Biden, argued, that the opposite is true, that the plan supports American workers, builds new jobs, and enables the chargers to be manufactured in the US, but pads in time for the private sector to prepare. Plus blocking the waiver would throw a wrench into the country’s transition to clean energy.
“This resolution would harm my Administration’s efforts to encourage investment in critical industries and bring high-quality jobs back to the United States,” Biden said in a veto statement, adding that it would “delay the significant progress being made by my Administration and the States in establishing the EV charging network.”
The waiver was initially put forth last year to except certain EV chargers from Buy American provisions as long as the chargers themselves are assembled in the US – but the provisions generally require that iron and steel be produced in the US.
As it stands, the EV chargers subsidized by the government must at least be assembled at a US factory starting in February. As of July, at least 55% of the construction materials must be sourced domestically and manufactured in the US.
The veto landed the same day that Biden’s re-election campaign won the endorsement of the United Auto Workers.
Electrek’s Take
Well, the Senate is expected to overrule Biden’s veto in a few weeks, but it will need a two-thirds majority, which won’t be easy. President Biden has made the focus on transitioning American drivers to EVs a central part of his policy – while Republicans have been working hard to dismantle those efforts, and we’re sure to see more of this happening this year.
Biden argues that the $7.5 billion plan is a critical piece to building out a “convenient, affordable, reliable and made-in-America national network” of electric vehicle chargers, which includes some 500,000 publicly available chargers by 2030 – and ensuring they are working properly. Meanwhile, EV sales have quadrupled in the US, with the number of publicly available charging ports rising by nearly 70%. Today, more than 4 million EVs are on US roadways, with the goal for half of the country’s car sales to be electric by 2030.
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Genesis is preparing to shake things up with its most luxurious SUV yet, the GV90. Thanks to a new patent filing, we are getting a detailed look at how its Rolls-Royce-style coach doors will work.
New patent reveals Genesis GV90 coach door system
When Genesis first unveiled the full-size SUV at the NY Auto Show last March, it wasn’t the stunning design or advanced tech that caught everyone’s attention. It was the coach doors.
Although we were worried it wouldn’t make it to the production model, like many concepts, the Genesis GV90 will be offered with coach doors.
The ultra-luxe electric SUV was first caught with coach doors earlier this year on a car carrier in South Korea. Just last month, the GV90 was spotted in California with a hinge at the rear to open the coach doors.
After several new patents were filed with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for new door latching devices, we are getting a sneak peek at how they are expected to work.
The patents, titled “Cinching Device For Door Latches in Vehicle,” and “Door Latch Device for Vehicles,” give a pretty detailed explanation of how the Genesis GV90’s coach doors will operate. The “Door Latch Device” uses a door striker on the lower side of the door, which is opened or closed by a hinge unit.
Unlike traditional doors, which use the B-pillar for support, the device is attached directly to the door itself, allowing for hinge-like movement.
The cinching device works in a similar way. It’s also attached to the door and part of the vehicle. However, unlike most of its kind, Genesis found a way to use a single cinching device to control multiple units. Again, the device is used for B-pillarless doors that swing open.
Genesis already said that B-pillarless coach doors are now feasible in production vehicles. The patent reveals a glimpse into how the luxury automaker could make it a reality.
Although the Genesis GV90 is expected to be offered with coach doors, they will likely not be standard. Other variants, with traditional door handles, have also been spotted testing in the US and South Korea.
Genesis is expected to launch the GV90 in mid-2026. It will be built at Hyundai’s Ulsan plant in South Korea. The flagship Genesis SUV is scheduled to debut on Hyundai’s new eM platform, which the company said will “provide 50% improvement in driving range.” It will also be loaded with the latest technology, software, connectivity, and Level 3 or higher autonomous driving capabilities.
Source: USPTO
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Environment
Podcast: Tesla Model YL, more Tesla probes and lawsuits, new Nissan Leaf pricing, and more
In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss the launch of the Tesla Model YL, more Tesla probes and lawsuits, new Nissan Leaf pricing, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
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Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:
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July EV sales looked strong on the surface, but the looming impact of tariffs and the end of EV tax credits reveal a more complicated picture, according to Cars.com’s new Industry Insights report.
New-vehicle sales jumped 6.6% year-over-year, even as dealer inventory fell for the first time since 2022. Much of the spike came from a “buy now” mindset as shoppers raced to lock in deals before tariffs and policy changes drive prices higher. For EVs in particular, the looming end of the federal $7,500 tax credit on September 30 added another layer of urgency.
EV inventory growth is slowing – for now
Shoppers technically have more EV options than ever, with 75 models on the market – a 27% jump from last year. But new EV inventory growth has slowed to just 9% year-over-year, the lowest since before the Inflation Reduction Act revived federal incentives. Analysts expect another wave of buying before the tax credit vanishes, but after that, higher prices could cool demand, especially with most new EVs still priced in the premium-to-luxury bracket.
Tariffs set to push prices higher
Automakers absorbed an estimated $12 billion in tariff costs in the second quarter alone to keep sticker prices steady. That’s not sustainable, and once those costs flow into 2026 models, EV buyers could be facing thousands more on the same car.
At current 25% tariff levels, the average new-vehicle price could jump from $48,000 to $54,400 – about $6,400 more. Even if trade deals trim tariffs to 15%, buyers would still see increases of more than $4,000. That’s a huge gap compared to household incomes, which grew only 1% last year.
The used EV market is heating up
While new EV prices are bracing for impact, the used EV market is gaining momentum. Inventory is up 33% year-over-year, while average prices dipped 2% to $36,000. Affordable used EVs under $25,000 – including the Tesla Model 3, Nissan Leaf, and Chevy Bolt EV – are selling 20% faster than average. Many also qualify for the $4,000 used-EV tax credit, which, like the new EV credit, ends September 30.
Read more: Global EV sales hit 10.7M in 2025 – Europe surges, US stalls
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