Jane Brady is the chair of A Better Delaware. She previously served as state attorney general and as a judge of the Delaware Superior Court.
Delaware’s government has made decisions in successive legislative sessions with regard to energy that impact the poorest of our citizens most negatively. Those families in our state that struggle with the costs of basic necessities, such as food and housing, are now going to face additional costs for electricity and transportation.
The electric vehicle mandate the General Assembly enacted would require families to pay about $10,000-$20,000 more for a car that is electric than they would for a gas-fueled car. The cost of installation of a charger at your home is significant. But, of course, if you live — as many lower-income people do — in an apartment or rowhome in the city, you won’t be able to charge your electric car at home. Additionally, there are very few public places you can do so. Public transportation is limited and not a realistic option for many to use to get to work or the store. So, apart from the fact that we at A Better Delaware don’t think government should tell us what kind of car to buy, the impacts of this policy have been underappreciated.