Republican disdain for battery-powered cars is now part of the culture wars — but it’s not exactly new. Rather, it can be traced back to the early 2010s, when the federal government first offered Tesla and Fisker loans, said Nick Loris, vice president of public policy at the conservative climate consulting firm C3 Solutions.

“There was a sentiment that 1) EVs couldn’t survive without the taxpayer’s help and 2) The tax credits are going to wealthy Californians,” he said.

Even though the more recent tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act are means tested, Loris said, “the sentiment remains the same.”