US President Joe Biden on Wednesday highlighted car makers' shift to electric vehicles and investment in battery plants as he toured the Detroit car show in Michigan, sometimes jumping behind the wheel of a vehicle on display.
“You all know I’m a car guy,” Mr Biden told a crowd of car workers. He said cars “just give me a sense of optimism — although I like the speed, too".
Mr Biden's trip to the largest car show event in North America is part of an effort to refocus voter attention on the progress the nation is making on electric vehicles.
“We're choosing to build a better America, an America that is confronting the climate crisis, with America's workers leading the way,” he said.
Mr Biden announced the approval of the first $900 million in US funding to build EV charging stations in 35 states as part of a $1 trillion infrastructure law approved last November.
Detroit's Big Three car makers are showing off new EVs at the car show.
Mr Biden and Congress have pledged billions of dollars in loans and other financial assistance to move from internal combustion vehicles to EVs.
Vietnamese car maker VinFast previously announced it would build factories in North Carolina, while Hyundai announced battery and assembly plants to be built in the state of Georgia.
Honda and Toyota also announced battery plants.
-
VinFast's pre-production VF 8 car at an event in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Holly Aguirre / The National -
VinFast chief executive Le Thi Thu Thuy, left, speaks to VinGroup founder and chairman Pham Nhat Vuong at a company event in Nha Trang, Vietnam. Reuters -
The VinFast VF 8 has options that feature leather interiors with room for five passengers. Holly Aguirre / The National -
The interior of the VinFast VF 8. Holly Aguirre / The National -
The VinFast VF 8 is expected to take a bite out of the US electric vehicle market. Holly Aguirre / The National -
The VinFast VF 8 has room for the whole family. Photo: VinFast -
The exterior of the VinFast VF 8. Photo: VinFast -
The VF 8 will start at $40,700, making it quite competitive in the US electric vehicle market. Holly Aguirre / The National -
VinFast accounts for 8.4 per cent of the Vietnamese car market, with plans to go all-electric. Holly Aguirre / The National -
Test drivers gave the VinFast VF 8 two thumbs up. VinFast -
The VinFast manufacturing centre in Haiphong, Vietnam. Holly Aguirre / The National -
Workers assemble an electric car at the VinFast electric car plant in Haiphong, Vietnam. AFP -
VinFast's factory in Haiphong, Vietnam. Reuters -
A worker assembles an electric car battery. AFP -
VinFast chief executive Le Thi Thu Thuy speaks to visitors during a tour of the company's factory, in Haiphong. Reuters -
The VinFast VF 9 on display at the New York International Auto Show earlier this year. Getty Images / AFP -
The VinFast booth at the 2022 New York International Auto Show. Reuters -
The VinFast VF 9 on display at the New York International Auto Show. Getty Images / AFP -
Nguyen Quoc Dung, Vietnam's ambassador to the US, Gina Raimondo, US Commerce Secretary, Jennifer Granholm, US Energy Secretary, Le Thi Thu Thuy, Vingroup Vice Chair and VinFast chief executive and US Representative David Price attend VinFast's presentation at the US Department of Energy in March. AP -
The VinFast VF 9 electric vehicle at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Getty Images / AFP -
VinFast revealed its full line-up of electric vehicles at CES 2022. AP -
The VF 5 electric SUV on display at CES 2022. Reuters -
VinFast also makes electric scooters at the plant in Haiphong. Holly Aguirre / The National -
Scooters are a large part of Vietnam culture and VinFast plans to soon be all-electric. Holly Aguirre / The National -
Assembling scooters at the VinFast factrory. Holly Aguirre / The National -
VinFast electric scooters in Haiphong, Vietnam. Holly Aguirre / The National -
Scooters are a big part of culture in Vietnam. Holly Aguirre / The National -
A VinFast vehicle outside the factory in Haiphong. Reuters -
Outside VinFast's factory in Haiphong. Reuters
Mr Biden set a goal in 2021 that electric vehicles or plug-in hybrids would represent half of all new US vehicle sales by 2030.
“A great American road trip is going to be fully electrified,” he said.
Mr Biden viewed the new electric Ford Mustang Mach-E with Ford executive chairman Bill Ford.
“It's amazing, the speed,” Mr Biden said. “Does it have a launch button?”
He also got behind the wheel of a Cadillac Lyriq all-electric SUV, the price for which starts at $63,000.
Agencies contributed to this report
