by Robert M. Traxler
An article appeared in the June 4 edition of “Inside Climate News” stating “In May, the Biden administration slapped new tariffs on a range of Chinese goods, including a 100 percent levy on electric vehicles. Though few Chinese EVs are sold in the U.S., the decision reflects a tense trade war between the two countries, and the administration’s fear that China will soon bombard the market with cheap electric cars.”
However, a different type of vehicle may be getting caught in the crossfire.The Office of the United States Trade Representative announced May 19 that e-bike batteries will be subject to new 25 percent tariffs starting in 2026, a jump from the 7.5 percent tax currently levied on these products.
“At the same time, a provision that allowed Chinese imports of e-bikes and their parts to be excluded, since 2018, from an existing 25 percent tariff is set to expire June 14 meaning prices could go up much sooner than 2026, reports the Verge.”
Few electric cars are imported from China, but a literal boat load of e-bikes is imported every year. So where is the mainstream media on this? If President Trump had put a 25% tariff on electric bikes or cars, the media would be apoplectic, and charges of him killing children, the elderly, the sick and poor would be banner headlines on and in CNN, MSNBC, CNBC, ABC, CBS, PBS and the “print media.”
Progressive district attorneys would indict President Trump for crimes against humanity, but with President Biden doing it not a peep, but he can now say he protected the United Auto Workers from cheap Chinese vehicles.
I agree with the tariffs President Biden put on e-bikes. As the regular readers of this column (thank you) know, I gave up my Harley Davidson; I felt age was making it safer for me to slow down. I did not want to lose the freedom of a two-wheel vehicle, and pedaling a bicycle up our many hills was more difficult than I wanted, so the answer was an e-bike.
Set properly, you can pedal an e-bike on level terrain, and the motor kicks in on the hills to even out the exercise. Ok, it’s not a Harley by a long shot, but it is better than not getting out at all, and a heck of a lot cheaper.
Who knows what the future will bring, but if you are in the market for an e-bike purchasing it before 2026 may be a good idea. Time will tell if the 25% tariff ever goes into effect, or if it was one more example of progressive symbolism over substance.
Heralding a tariff on China but of course delaying the start date for years, well after the election, is like President Biden triumphantly declaring billions to jump start the electric car charger station availability but years later less than a few dozen have been built and billions spent.
It is also like the high-speed internet plan that has not connected the first home to high-speed internet after spending hundreds of millions and over a year passing. It is all about symbolism over substance and rewarding special interest groups. Results are not as important as intentions to the progressive movement.
Spending the money is the goal, not fixing the problem, but being able to say, “I allocated billions for…”
Like the high-speed train program that has spent billions but not put the first train online. Like the electric school bus production facility touted by our President as a savior of the environment that went bankrupt, costing hundreds of millions. The yellow school buses so loved by Vice President Kamala Harris were built, but they are parked due to safety concerns. They have a nasty habit of starting on fire, and a range of other problems.
It is all akin to the progressive movement saying they have cut crime, that we are safer today than when Donald Trump was President. As predicted a year ago in this column, the blue states and cities have downgraded crimes or are not reporting crimes. Illegal immigrants, migrants, seasonal workers, undocumented folks (whatever we are calling them today) are committing crime, but in sanctuary cities and states they are not identified as migrants, so progressive Holy Grail is that they do not commit crimes. And the smoke and mirror media has just begun to campaign for President Biden.
My opinion.