JD Vance is a vocal opponent of the clean energy plan, despite the immense investment it is driving across the U.S., including in his home state of Ohio. Vance repeatedly claimed that renewable energy and EVs would harm the U.S. economy and destroy the American auto industry. Even more outlandishly, Vance called to replace the EV tax credit with a tax credit for gas-powered vehicles.

Vance has repeatedly falsely claimed that the Biden-Harris administration’s clean car rule would limit choice for consumers and is shipping auto manufacturing jobs overseas to China. In Ohio alone, companies have announced 17 new projects supporting the EV supply chain since the passage of the clean energy plan, driving $7.55 billion in investment and creating or moving forward 6,723 new jobs. Across the U.S., the clean energy plan has spurred 338 new projects in the EV supply chain that will drive $151 billion in new investment and create 184,567 new jobs.

Despite Vance’s determination to demonize EVs and renewable energy, the two are already powering economic growth in Ohio. Ohio is one of the biggest winners from the clean energy plan, with private companies announcing over $10.4 billion in investment in new clean energy projects in the Buckeye State and creating or advancing over 13,887 good-paying clean energy jobs. It’s clear that, if elected, Vance would threaten the clean energy boom in Ohio and across the country and prioritize his Big Oil donors over everyday Americans.

Updated: 9/19/2024

JD Vance Opposed The Clean Energy Plan’s Clean Energy And EV Investments

Vance frequently called clean energy a “scam”:

• Vance was a vocal critic of clean energy and repeatedly called renewable energy a “scam.”
• Vance criticized wind and solar energy, falsely arguing that neither could meet electricity demand. He falsely claimed that wind turbines couldn’t generate enough electricity to charge cell phones.
  • Wind and solar can meet electricity demand; between January and May 2023, the two clean energy sources generated more electricity than coal.

Vance repeatedly claimed the clean energy plan would harm Ohio’s economy:

• In 2022, Vance said the clean energy plan subsidized rich people to buy EVs while harming Ohio’s auto industry.
  • Ohio’s auto industry is thriving, thanks to electric vehicle manufacturing. Honda announced  $700 million in investments to retool its manufacturing facilities in Marysville, East Liberty, and Anna to manufacture EV components. In Toledo, GM will retain 1,500 workers at its manufacturing facility, thanks to a $760 million grant funded by the clean energy plan to transition the factory to EV manufacturing.
• Vance also claimed the clean energy plan would “make us all poorer.”
  • The clean energy plan is projected to help American families save over $1,000 a year on energy costs.
  • In 2023, nationally, 3.4 million Americans saved over $8.4 billion on clean energy and energy efficiency improvements thanks to tax credits funded by the clean energy plan. In Ohio alone, more than 109,000 families saved over $150 million on home clean energy and energy efficiency upgrades. 

Vance opposed air pollution rules that threatened polluting coal- and gas-fired power plants:

• In 2024, Vance co-sponsored a Congressional Review Act Resolution that challenged President Biden’s clear air rule because it imposed “unrealistic emissions requirements” on coal-fired power plants.
  • Between 1999 and 2023, coal-fired power plants in Ohio and Pennsylvania caused over 103,000 deaths nationwide.

Vance argued the EV transition was “destroying the auto industry”:

• In 2023, Vance tweeted that “the premature transition to EVs is destroying the auto industry in our country.” In the same tweet, Vance praised President Trump for “saying what needs to be said” about the EV transition.
  • Since the passage of the clean energy plan, companies have announced 338 new projects in the EV supply chain that will drive $151 billion in new investment and create 184,567 new jobs.
• Vance said the EV transition amounted to the “political leadership’s green war” on the auto industry and its workers.
  • The United Auto Workers supports the transition to EVs. UAW officials highlighted the Biden-Harris administration’s support for their strike in the fall of 2023 and indicated it provided the “political cover” needed to secure a deal that eased organizing efforts at EV battery manufacturing facilities. 

Vance Sought To Repeal EV Subsidies And Other Clean Energy Provisions In The Clean Energy Plan

Vance criticized the clean energy plan’s investments in electric vehicles:

• Vance falsely claimed it was part of a wider push to replace gas-powered cars with electric vehicles.
  • The clean cars rule does not require gas-powered cars to be replaced with electric vehicles.
• Vance claimed Harris raised taxes to give to “Chinese companies” building electric vehicles and said Democrats were helping China at the expense of American automakers.
  • Without the clean energy plan, Chinese companies would outcompete the U.S. auto industry because they have a competitive advantage in electric vehicles, which would threaten the entire industry. And, only EVs that meet domestic content requirements qualify for tax credits, encouraging companies to build EVs in the U.S.  
  • Since the clean energy plan passed, companies have announced over $30 billion in new EV manufacturing investments across the U.S.
  • The clean energy plan only raised taxes for individuals earning more than $400,000 per year and large corporations.

Vance advocated for replacing EV subsidies with subsidies for gas-powered vehicles:

• Vance said he wanted to eliminate “a lot” from the clean energy plan, including support for clean energy.
• In September 2023, Vance introduced legislation to replace the clean energy plan’s EV subsidies with subsidies for U.S.-manufactured gas-powered vehicles.

Vance Criticized The Biden-Harris Administration’s Clean Energy Policies

Vance claimed Biden-Harris’ clean energy policies caused job losses: 

• Vance falsely claimed the Biden-Harris administration’s clean energy investments came “at the expense of the industrial heartland,” and said Wisconsin, Michigan, and Pennsylvania were not benefiting from clean energy.
  • In reality, Ohio is greatly benefitting from new investments. Private companies have announced over $10.4 billion in investment in new clean energy projects in the Buckeye state which are creating or advancing over 13,887 good-paying clean energy jobs.
  • In Wisconsin, new clean energy projects are projected to create over 1,900 jobs while driving over $940 million in investment. Pennsylvania has seen 14 new clean energy projects announced that are projected to create over 2,800 jobs while driving $1.08 billion in investment. Michigan, home to the U.S. auto industry, has seen 62 new clean energy projects announced that are projected to create over 21,700 jobs and drive over $26.62 billion in investment.
  • Nationally, companies have announced 646 new clean energy projects that will drive over $372 billion in investment and create over 334,000 new jobs.
• Vance claimed that Harris’ clean energy plan has caused manufacturing companies to ship jobs to China and increased oil and gas prices.
  • Despite Vance’s unfounded claims otherwise, the clean energy plan’s tax credits are building a domestic supply chain for clean energy, creating good-paying manufacturing jobs.
• Vance attacked Harris for voting to pass the clean energy plan, and “destroying energy jobs.”
  • The Biden-Harris administration is spurring energy job growth. Energy jobs grew 3 percent in 2023, led by job growth in the clean energy sector, which accounted for 56 percent of new energy sector jobs. Clean energy employment grew at a rate of 4.2 percent in 2023, faster than the overall U.S. economy. 
  • Clean energy employed over six times as many Ohioans as the fuels sector, which includes oil and natural gas, in 2023.

Vance attacked Harris’ record on energy as vice president:

• Vance falsely claimed Harris’ energy policies have caused energy costs to increase by 28.5 percent and have made Americans “poorer” and “more vulnerable to extreme weather.”
  • The clean energy plan is projected to save American households over $1,000 a year on energy costs and up to $38 billion on electricity bills between 2022 and 2030.
  • The Biden-Harris administration allocated $2.6 billion in funding under the clean energy plan to bolster resiliency against extreme weather.
• Vance alleged that Harris’ environmental policies have shuttered coal and natural gas plants and halted transmission infrastructure while promoting “less reliable” energy sources like wind and solar.
  • In reality, clean energy sources like wind and solar strengthen the electrical grid by providing ancillary grid services. Coal and natural gas plants are less reliable because facilities aren’t winterized, rely on complex moving parts, and are at high risk from extreme weather.
  • Ohio is also becoming a hub for solar, as the industry accounts for over 7,400 jobs in the state and is valued at over $4.2 billion. The state has installed 3,223 megawatts of solar, enough to power over 413,000 homes, and is estimated to grow to over 9,800 megawatts over the next five years. 

Vance falsely claimed that Biden and Harris wanted to force Americans to purchase EVs:

• Vance said Harris imposed an electric vehicle mandate that would ship American manufacturing jobs to China.
  • In reality, the clean energy plan’s incentives for domestic electric vehicle manufacturing are keeping jobs in the U.S., according to a General Motors board member who said a rollback of electric vehicle incentives would “risk losing the auto manufacturing share to China.”
• Vance said that Harris wanted to make “every trucker” drive an electric vehicle.
  • The Biden-Harris administration’s new emissions standards for heavy-duty trucks require 30% of heavy-heavy-duty vocational trucks and 40% of day cabs to be zero-emission vehicles by 2030. The rule is projected to provide $13 billion in public health savings over the next 30 years.

Vance Criticized Harris’ Energy Policy Proposals

Vance has criticized Harris’ record on energy as a vice president and her 2024 presidential campaign platform: 

• Vance said that Harris’ tax plan would shift money towards clean energy and cause 660,000 job losses.
  • Since the passage of the clean energy plan, companies have announced over 330,000 new clean energy jobs. The clean energy plan is projected to create 1.5 million new jobs by 2030.
• Vance incorrectly claimed Harris would focus on environmental justice initiatives and international climate agreements that waste tax dollars and increase energy costs.
  • The clean energy plan is projected to save Americans $38 billion on electricity bills between 2022 and 2030.

Vance has repeatedly accused Harris of waging war on American energy: 

• Vance has repeatedly said Harris has “gone to war against American energy,” and claimed she was “dedicated” to destroying the energy and manufacturing economy.
  • In reality, the clean energy sector is creating jobs and supporting the U.S. economy. The clean energy sector added jobs at twice the rate of the overall U.S. economy in 2023.