Over the course of the past day or so, you've likely seen a wealth of coverage related to Tesla CEO Elon Musk's recent interview as part of The Wall Street Journal's CEO Council Summit. We published several articles about Musk's comments, though the topic that seems to be getting the most steam is the fact that Musk doesn't want the Biden Administration's Build Back Better bill to pass.

To be clear, Musk isn't against improving our country's infrastructure, and there are likely many parts of the legislation he would support. However, the CEO doesn't believe the government should be offering subsidies or incentives, especially for charging infrastructure. Musk noted that the government doesn't help with gas stations, so why EV charging stations?

Some folks are quick to point out that Tesla may not exist today if it weren't for subsidies and incentives. However, Musk has been against them for years. This is not to say Tesla didn't take advantage of them to stay afloat and compete. If others are going to take advantage of the subsidies, it only makes sense to follow suit. Moreover, since Tesla is competing with gas cars, if those vehicles benefit from government support, EV makers need to partake in order to disrupt.

That said, in Musk's opinion, there should be no subsidies, and he was very clear to say that includes the massive monies afforded to the oil and gas industry. If the government hadn't been funding oil and gas for all these years, EV companies like Tesla may have had it much easier, a level playing field.

As it turns out, US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg also spoke at the WSJ Summit. You can watch it below:

 

Essentially, Buttigieg took the mic to defend Biden's proposed legislation. He called the electric revolution inevitable, though he said companies still need government assistance going forward. The secretary explained via Teslarati:

“I think it’s very important to fund EV charging stations and to also make sure what’s in the next Build Back Better Act to bide down the cost of electric vehicles. Let me explain why. The market is going electric already. That’s gonna happen. The automotive sector is headed that way. We’re not here to cause that technological adoption to happen. We’re here because there are three things that will not happen on their own."

  • Buttigieg points to the need for this to happen as quickly as possible to curb climate change.
  • He says it needs to happen on "equitable terms" so that it actually helps low-income families and people living in rural areas.
  • Finally, he stresses the importance of the EV revolution being "made in America and creating good-paying jobs."

Buttigieg also reiterates that the Biden Administration believes in "the benefits of union jobs." He says that the credit of up to $12,500 could help buyers get into an electric car that they wouldn't be able to afford without the credit.

Check out the video in the tweet above for the entire conversation. Then, head down to our comment section to share your takeaways. Do you agree with Musk or Buttigieg?

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