US President Joe Biden is giving a boost to what he sees as an “engine” of the American economy. His administration announced on Thursday 1.7 billion dollars in grants to produce electric vehicles. He is hoping the investments will also bring him votes in swing states.
Biden has made EVs a key part of his climate agenda. The grants will help General Motors, Fiat Chrysler and other carmakers build them.
The Biden administration will invest in 11 at-risk or closed-down facilities across eight states, including the battlegrounds of Michigan, Pennsylvania and Georgia. It says the projects will save 15,000 jobs and create about 3,000 new ones.
In a statement announcing the grants, Biden accused former President Donald Trump of leaving manufacturing communities and workers behind. He says he will “never stop fighting” for them.
However, labor unions say EVs have fewer parts and require fewer workers to assemble. They say the shift to those vehicles could come at the expense of jobs.