Trump halted federal support for electric vehicles two weeks before Chicago Auto Show
Two weeks before hundreds of thousands of car enthusiasts headed to the 2025 Chicago Auto Show, President Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking to end federal support for electric vehicles.
CHICAGO – Two weeks before hundreds of thousands of car enthusiasts headed to the 2025 Chicago Auto Show, President Donald Trump signed an executive order seeking to end federal support for electric vehicles.
That includes a rollback of the goal for EVs to make up half of new car sales.
What we know:
Views on electric vehicles are yet another stark contrast between the Biden and Trump administrations.
Trump is trying to pull a U-turn on EVs, but experts at the Chicago Auto Show said not much has changed—yet.
“The current administration has kind of pulled back on the aggressive timeline that was with the former administration. So, we are seeing a little more of that,” said Jennifer Morand, general manager of the Chicago Auto Show.
Morand said the executive order isn’t necessarily stopping people from checking out the latest EVs but might tap the brakes on how they shop.
“I think it is a great thing so that we can kind of walk, crawl, run, so to speak, instead of jump right into a full electrification if it’s not right for them,” said Morand. “The infrastructure needs to be there, so as a nation, we need to get to that point where an electric vehicle might make more sense.”
Now in question is federal support for charging stations and low-interest loans for automakers building new EV plants.
There is speculation that the White House’s next move could be eliminating the $7,500 tax credit for EV buyers. However, on Thursday, ComEd announced rebate programs offering $100 million in funding to promote EV use and expand infrastructure in northern Illinois.
Holy Vu, who recently bought a Ford F-150 Lightning, said charging infrastructure is crucial.
“You do need to have a house, a level two charger, and you only get to experience by sitting in it,” said Vu, “I have charging at my work and at home, so I don’t get the range anxiety, so there are a lot of factors to having an electric car.”
“I think regardless of what happens with the new administration and the tax credits, people are still in need of new vehicles. They still want to come out and experience the latest from the automotive industry,” said Morand.
What’s next:
Experts said lawsuits are expected to challenge the funding cuts, which could pause any EV policy changes.
Electric vehicles will be on display at the Chicago Auto Show through Feb. 17.
