Donald Trump announced plans to impose sweeping 25% tariffs on cars from overseas on Wednesday, days before the US president is expected to announce wide-ranging levies on other goods from around the world.
“What we’re going to be doing is a 25% tariff for all cars that are not made in the United States,” Trump said in the Oval Office. “We start off with a 2.5% base, which is what we’re at, and go to 25%.”
The announcement drew swift condemnation from the European Union and from the Canadian prime minister, Mark Carney, who called it a “direct attack” on Canadian workers. “We will defend our workers, we will defend our companies, we will defend our country, and we will defend it together,” Carney said.
Yes, cars undeniably make the world a much worse place and I am in favor of sin taxes. It’s also a fairly easy tariff to avoid by keeping or repairing an older vehicle—or even better, don’t drive one at all for those who can avoid it.
Car culture does suck and ideally we could move towards urban areas being much less car dependent. I think we agree there.
Increasing the cost of new vehicles, which are already too high is only going to incentive keeping cars that produce comparatively more emissions on the road. We should be incentizing replacing old gas cars with newer electric vehicles while also working on public transportation and walkable areas where possible.
I just don’t think electric vehicles do enough given the scale of the crisis we’re experiencing, and I think placing economic pressure in car drivers is bound to reduce driving somewhat. Since this is one of or perhaps even the most damaging behavior in American society right now, that can only be a good thing. It will also increase demand for car alternatives which are desperately needed.
Is it the perfect policy or the one I would have pushed for? No, and it’s bound to be economically destructive as well, but it’s still pushing things in the right direction overall.
I get it. I would still rather it just apply to gas guzzlers. Let electrics get a foot hold. To get vehicles off the road let’s embrace work from home policies again, instead of forcing everyone to commute in traffic.