<mediadc-video-embed data-state="{"cms.site.owner":{"_ref":"00000161-3486-d333-a9e9-76c6fbf30000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b93390000"},"cms.content.publishDate":1654632716907,"cms.content.publishUser":{"_ref":"0000017e-cb38-dcae-a3fe-ff7ddb630000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"cms.content.updateDate":1654632716907,"cms.content.updateUser":{"_ref":"0000017e-cb38-dcae-a3fe-ff7ddb630000","_type":"00000161-3461-dd66-ab67-fd6b933a0007"},"rawHtml":"
var _bp = _bp||[]; _bp.push({ "div": "Brid_54625567", "obj": {"id":"27789","width":"16","height":"9","video":"1020805"} }); ","_id":"00000181-3fcb-df81-a381-7fff949b0000","_type":"2f5a8339-a89a-3738-9cd2-3ddf0c8da574"}”>Video EmbedSen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) said it “doesn’t matter” how high gas prices go because she drives an electric vehicle, sparking backlash as gas prices in the United States climb to record highs with no short-term relief in sight.
Stabenow’s remarks came during a Senate Finance Committee hearing Tuesday to discuss Biden’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year.
When the subject turned to record-high fuel costs in the U.S., Stabenow chimed in: “I do have to say, just on the issue of gas prices, after waiting for a long time to have enough chips in this country to finally get my electric vehicle, I got it and drove it from Michigan to here this last weekend and went by every single gas station, and it didn’t matter how high it was,” the Michigan Democrat said.
Stabenow added she is “looking forward to the opportunity for us to move to vehicles that aren’t going to be dependent on the whims of the oil companies and the international markets” and stressed the role that supply chain problems have had in hampering EV production and driving up costs.
Her remarks came as gas prices in the U.S. climbed to a new record high of $4.91 per gallon on Tuesday, according to AAA — a 61-cent spike from the previous week and a $1.87 increase from the same point last year.
Industry officials have acknowledged that while EVs may save drivers money over time, their high upfront costs make them too costly for many U.S. drivers. According to Kelley Blue Book, the average cost of an electric vehicle is $56,437 — roughly $10,000 more than the industry average. According to data from the U.S. Census Bureau, the median household income in Michigan is $59,234.
Stabenow’s comments prompted backlash on Twitter, where some sought to characterize her remarks as out of touch with voters.
No end appears to be in sight for sky-high gas prices, and analysts predict prices could soon surpass a national average of $5 a barrel.
Last month, JPMorgan analysts forecasted that the national average could climb as high as $6.20 per gallon by August.
In a blog post published Monday, AAA attributed the record-high fuel costs to a volatile market and high demand, which continues to far outpace supply. According to data from the U.S. Energy Information Administration, gasoline stocks decreased from 700,000 bbl to 219 million bbl last week, while demand soared, rising from 8.8 million b/d to 8.98 million b/d.
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According to AAA spokesman Andrew Gross, these price hikes are unlikely to go away any time soon. “People are still fueling up, despite these high prices,” Gross said. “At some point, drivers may change their daily driving habits or lifestyle due to these high prices, but we are not there yet.”
