Progress, Thy Name is ZETA: New Electric Vehicle Lobbying Group Hits the Scene

If you think the political class is interested in what kind of policies citizens would like to see implemented, you’ve clearly never heard of lobbying groups. While we’re stuck at home writing thoughtful letters to congressional interns in the faintest hope that they’ll be dictated to a senator, corporately supported lobbyists are taking legislators out to dinner so they can discuss how best to govern on a single issue. They’re important in determining the trajectory of the nation but many get criticized for placing the needs of the business over that of the individual voter.

Buckle up, because we’re getting another one. On Tuesday, the Zero Emission Transportation Association (ZETA) held its own coming-out party and announced its mission to advocate for “national policies that will enable 100 [percent] electric vehicle sales throughout the light-, medium-, and heavy-duty sectors by 2030.”

While we’re not certain why everyone who desires EV supremacy has picked the years between 2030 and 2035 as the period when the internal combustion engine needs to be extinguished, it has been fairly consistent across the industry. Though it does extend beyond the automotive sector. The World Economic Forum recently illustrated plans to use COVID-19 to transition the whole world into larger governments aimed at shifting society toward ending property/vehicle ownership rights as a way to build a more sustainable future at the expense of growth. Dubbed the “ Great Reset Initiative,” the plan is effectively eco-communism and allows no room for vehicles that aren’t powered entirely by electricity. The targeted year of these sustainability goals just so happens to be 2030.

Similar timetables aside, the Zero Emission Transportation Association’s general ambitions also seem broadly compatible. In Tuesday’s announcement, ZETA acknowledged it would be prioritizing stringent emission laws and tax incentives that would encourage widespread EV adoption, investments into the charging infrastructure, and an aligned vision for electrification to be adhered to by all.

“For the first time in a generation, transportation is the leading emitter of U.S. carbon emissions. By embracing EVs, federal policymakers can help drive innovation, create hundreds of thousands of new jobs and improve air quality and public health,” said Joe Britton, Executive Director of ZETA, in a prepared statement. “ZETA’s formation recognizes a pivotal moment for national leadership and reflects the will of the growing clean transportation sector.”

“The next decade will be critical in implementing federal policies that accelerate the transition to zero emissions vehicles and help address these problems head-on. The clean vehicle sector already boasts hundreds of thousands of jobs but, if we encourage its growth, the United States can decisively win the global race to develop a new clean transportation economy and employ hundreds of thousands of Americans right here at home.”

We’ve got questions about this. While we’ve often heard that pushing EVs would increase the number of modern, tech-focused jobs, it appears to come at the expense of factory positions. Electric cars don’t have as many moving parts, requiring less manpower and fewer suppliers. Daimler recently announced that it would be eliminating staff for that very reason — though we have a hunch that was also a cover for it spending way too much money on development. No matter, since the outcome remains largely the same.

An affiliated group called the ZETA Education Fund has launched in tandem with the association and will be focused on “educating the public on the environmental and social benefits and opportunities associated with broad EV adoption, will launch concurrently.” Founding ZETA members include 28 major corporations, including ABB, Albemarle Corporation, ChargePoint, ConEdision, EVBox, Lordstown Motors, Lucid Motors, PG&E Corporation, Proterra, Rivian, Siemens, SRP, Tesla, Vistra, Uber, and WAVE.

[Image: Welcomia/Shutterstock]