International corporations see the initiative of the US government discriminated against.
(Photo: dpa)
new York The international car companies are mobilizing against the planned tax incentives for e-cars in the USA. The reason: They are said to be excluded from the additional $ 4,500 for not employing unionized workers. This is foreseen in the two trillion “Build Back Better” package that the House of Representatives decided on and that now has to pass through the Senate.
In a letter that the Handelsblatt has received, a total of twelve CEOs of the US subsidiaries of international car companies address the Democratic majority chairman Chuck Schumer and the opposition chairman Mitch McConnel in the Senate. The signatories include the VW US boss Scott Keogh as well as the Mercedes US boss Dimitris Psillakis, the BMW US boss Sebastian Mackensen and the America CEOs of Toyota, Hyundai, Kia, Volvo and five other car manufacturers.
The package does not explicitly discriminate against foreign manufacturers. However, the only auto companies that have unionized workers in the United States are General Motors, Ford, and Stellantis subsidiary Chrysler. Tesla would also not benefit from the stimulus under the new rules because the company also has no unions.
“We applaud your continued support for tax incentives that encourage more consumers to consider e-cars,” said the letter to Senate leaders from both parties. “Still, we are against the proposed changes to tax incentives for e-cars in the Build Back Better Act, which discriminates against American workers, limits consumer choice and prevents the government from meeting President Biden’s climate goals.”
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The twelve signatories state that American consumers would only get the tax incentives for two e-cars out of 50 available today. In fact, so far GM has only offered the Bolt and Ford the Mustang Mach-E.
International auto companies employ 131,000 Americans
The foreign companies also calculate that they have so far jointly invested 98 billion dollars in the United States, securing 131,000 jobs and, indirectly, another 2.1 million additional jobs. These are arguments that also work with American politicians, so the calculation.
“We urge you to support policies that promote ALL electric cars built by ALL American workers and prevent policies that discriminate against half of US auto workers and slow progress toward our climate goals.” The twelve CEOs end their letter with this appeal.
More: US President Joe Biden wants to promote electric cars massively, including through tax credits. But the plans put foreign auto giants at a disadvantage – including German ones.