The WSJ is reporting that after Biden’s inauguration, Tesla officials reached out to the White House multiple times hoping to connect Biden and @elonmusk. Elon repeatedly got the cold shoulder. The reason: Biden officials didn't want to anger the UAW union, which leaned on the White House to keep its distance from Musk, according to the WSJ.
Then in August 2021, Biden organized an EV event, to be anchored by him signing an executive order with a target to make half of all new vehicles sold in 2030 zero-emissions vehicles. Just ahead of the event, White House officials called @Tesla with an apology: Elon wasn't invited.
At the time, Tesla sold ~66% of all EVs in the U.S.
Instead Biden welcomed executives from three other car companies-GM, Ford and Chrysler parent Stellantis.
"We made it clear to the administration about where things were," a former union official said. "We didn't have to make an ultimatum. They understood."
Things only got worse from there. "In the auto industry, Detroit's leading the world in electric vehicles," Biden said at a November 2021 event while promoting the new
infrastructure bill. He then turned to GM's Mary Barra and praised the CEO. "You electrified the entire automobile industry. I'm serious. You led, and it matters,” Biden said.
Full article: wsj.com/politics/elect… |
