What a Biden Administration Could Mean for the Auto Industry

On the Headlights blog, we like to keep you updated on the latest in automotive news, and sometimes make our own forecasts on where the future is headed. Instead of focusing on one particular trend or piece of news, we’d thought it’d be a good idea to zoom out a bit and take a look at the bigger picture of the auto industry as we head into a new presidential administration. What will the Biden administration auto industry look like? Here’s what we know so far.

Stability & support from automakers

While the previous administration brought uncertainty to auto regulations and even went so far as to trigger lawsuits from California and other states, the next administration has signaled a push for stability. 

The Biden White House is also expected to relax tariffs on international parts, which would be a boon to automakers looking to stay competitive in the global supply chain. 

Across the board, the incoming administration has been met with positivity from American automakers. As Ford told Car and Driver, “We congratulate President-Elect Biden and the newly and re-elected officials across all levels of government. It is our hope these leaders will focus on bringing the country together and pursue policies that encourage U.S. manufacturing, sustainability, and global economic stability.”

A move toward EVs in a Biden administration

We’ve covered a lot of EV news in the past year, from what tax incentives you can expect, to what companies are doing to corner this emerging market. As we move into the next year, we expect to see an ever greater emphasis put on maximizing the potential of electric vehicles. Back in July, Biden outlined a Cash for Clunkers plan to offer drivers incentives to trade in less efficient vehicles for American-made EVs.

Additionally, the incoming President has plans to replace the government’s fleet of gas-powered vehicles with exclusively EVs, a great move for American brands like Tesla and Rivian. 

As Car and Driver reported almost a decade ago, Joe Biden is a car-guy through and through. What we expect to see in the new Biden administration is a commitment to moving forward ecologically characterized by a genuine love of the automotive world.