Biden, who owns a 1967 Stingray, hopped into the driver seat of a bright orange Chevrolet Corvette Z06 and fired up its engine. He was accompanied by GM CEO Mary Barra.
President Biden also got a closer look at a range of electric vehicles from the big US brands, including the Ford Mustang Mach-E.
Biden, a Corvette owner, tries and revs the latest model. pic.twitter.com/UTmGoKAz1O
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) September 14, 2022
He commented that the performance was staggering, with a claimed 0-to-60 mph (97km/h) time of three seconds.
"It's amazing, the speed," Biden said, adding, "Does it have a launch button?" He also explored less-flashy vehicles, like Ford's all-electric E-Transit van and F-150 truck.
And the all-electric Silverado. pic.twitter.com/lVHQ2t0JAd
— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) September 14, 2022
While Biden has been taking credit for the recent boom in electric vehicle battery and assembly plant announcements, most were in the works long before the Inflation Reduction Act was signed into law on Aug. 16. Biden's 2021 infrastructure legislation could have something to do with it - it provides $5 billion over five years to help states create a network of EV charging stations.
Biden announced that the first $900 million in infrastructure money had been approved to build EV chargers across 53,000 miles of highway in 35 states.
Under the legislation, electric cars must be manufactured in North America to qualify for a new federal tax credit of up to $7,500. To qualify, batteries for vehicles must be produced in North America from minerals that are also recycled or sourced on the continent. The credits are intended to create a U.S.-based electric vehicle supply chain while also reducing reliance on foreign nations, most notably China.
Source: AP Photo: facebook.com/POTUS
