A military veteran for EVs

Strengthening our national security through energy policy

BY TIM BENFORD, PRESIDENT OF DRIVE ELECTRIC DAYTON

I was in the United Kingdom Royal Air Force for many years, and this included a 3-year tour with the United States Air Force. As a logistics officer, I knew firsthand that energy security was a key driver in military missions back then, and I also know that it still is today.

With this military background, I can tell you categorically that EVs are a clear path toward American energy independence and therefore critical to our national security. 

The U.S. currently accounts for the use of one-fifth of the global daily oil supply, making us the world’s largest oil consumer. More than 70% of that goes to powering the transportation system driving nearly every aspect of our economy and our daily lives. We’ve seen the ripples sent out by gas shortages, impacting everything from groceries to holiday travel to last-mile deliveries. Even right now, we are seeing that oil markets are volatile and subject to price spikes the U.S. can do little to prevent or correct. 

Oil markets are dominated by OPEC and Russia-related countries that can threaten our economic sovereignty and disrupt our foreign policy priorities. The U.S. spends $81 billion every year to protect oil supplies in the Persian Gulf alone. Transitioning to EVs is the best chance the U.S. has to break free of oil’s stronghold and swap reliance on unpredictable, foreign petroleum for resilient, domestically generated electrons. 

In addition to decreasing our dependence on imported fuel, EVs produce zero tailpipe emissions, improving our air quality and public health. EVs offer significant fuel savings and reduced maintenance costs to drivers, and represent a chance to maintain U.S. leadership in auto manufacturing.

Building  the workforce of tomorrow

The U.S. auto sector currently supports 9.9 million jobs and generates nearly $1 trillion each year. Building, driving, and charging EVs in the U.S. represents job opportunities across the entire EV supply chain—from mining battery minerals to final assembly. 

With the Infrastructure and Jobs Act (IIJA), recently signed into law by President Biden, the U.S. has committed to meet the EV moment by investing $7.5 billion to build out a nationwide EV charging network, with half serving disadvantaged and rural communities, $5 billion for replacing old, dirty school buses with electric versions, as well as $6 billion for grants going toward EV battery processing, manufacturing, and recycling.

These are promising first steps in the transition to EVs, and we should thank members of Congress for their leadership. We are that much closer to ditching our oil dependency and switching our buses, trucks, cars, and vans to electric power. 

Bolder action is necessary

We need firmer commitments to establish the U.S. jobs, security, and other benefits that a fully electrified transportation system will bring. EVs are coming fast, and we need to move faster to meet this moment and come out on top. There’s no time to waste. Let’s get EVs across the finish line!