California’s leap into the electric vehicle (EV) frontier, championed by disastrous Governor Gavin Newsom, is shaping up to be a costly venture that threatens to plunge the state further into an infrastructure quagmire. A recent study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences outlines the staggering costs and herculean upgrades required for California to support its grandiose EV ambitions.
The golden state, with its sights set on banning gas-powered passenger vehicles by 2035 and fossil fuel-heavy trucks by 2036, is now staring down the barrel of a projected $6 billion to $20 billion in grid upgrades. This isn’t just overly ambitious—it’s bordering on the impossible. What’s worse, it’s poised to dump a massive financial burden squarely on the backs of everyday taxpayers.
Governor Newsom’s administration also envisions California achieving 100% zero-emissions power generation by 2045, heavily relying on wind and solar power. This is a risky bet, especially as the state grapples with the potential closure of its major nuclear power plant post its five-year lifespan extension. This scenario is playing out in a state that, as of January, boasted the second-highest electricity costs per unit in the continental U.S., only trailing behind Rhode Island.
This push towards EVs under the guise of environmental progressiveness fails to consider the profound impact on everyday Californians. It’s not just about the environmental footprint or the trendy allure of EVs; it’s about the feasibility of such a transition without crippling economic repercussions. Newsom’s administration, in its typical fashion, opts for flashy policy announcements without a concrete plan for practical implementation, effectively putting the cart before the horse.
While the study optimistically suggests that this massive increase in electricity demand could eventually drive down costs, this silver lining is thin at best. Californians are already burdened with high living costs and crime, and the road to Newsom’s EV utopia seems paved with fiscal irresponsibility and a lack of planning. It’s yet another example of how far removed the state’s leadership is from the practical realities faced by its residents, as it continues to impose top-down mandates that sound good in press releases but falter in real-world application.
