Editor’s note: Yesterday, Gov. Phil Scott’s office announced that Wednesday morning (today) “Governor Phil Scott will be joined by Secretary Flynn and others in St. Johnsbury to discuss the investments Vermont has made in EVs, including for the State’s fleet of vehicles. The Executive Protection Unit of the Vermont State Police will also be delivered its first all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning, which will serve as the Governor’s official security vehicle. It is believed that Vermont will be the first state whose governor travels primarily by an all-electric vehicle.”
According to Truecar.com, “Prices for a new Ford F-150 Lightning currently range from $41,669 to $104,594.”
In response, Democratic gubernatorial presumptive nominee Brenda Siegel (above) sent a press release headlined “Brenda Siegel’s Statement on Climate & Being Chauffeured In An Electric Vehicle.”
by Brenda Siegel
The Governor announced today that he will be driven in an electric vehicle. I will begin by committing to doing the same as Governor. This is a no brainer and an easy yes. However, I would be remiss if I did not make a statement to point out how obstructionist this Governor has been when it comes to climate progress.
This year alone Governor Scott Vetoed several bills that would have helped move us closer to our climate goals, Including both the Clean Heat Standard and some changes to Act 250. Instead he has continued to slow or stop progress. He has called the Global Warming Solutions Act unconstitutional. While being driven in an electric vehicle is the right thing to do, it will do almost nothing to achieve our climate goals.
Low and moderate income people can not afford solar panels, heat pumps or electric vehicles and in fact it is a privilege to be driven in or to drive an electric vehicle. Some would call it the pinnacle of privilege to be chauffeured in an electric vehicle while putting sticks in the spokes of progress for everyone else. It is important to remember that our state is made up of mostly low and moderate income people. That means that if the solutions do not reach them, they are not true solutions.
If we want to solve the climate crisis we must build and support in state renewable energy. Update and expand our transportation system. Support our small farms to transition to carbon sequestration and require our large farms to do the same. When we talk about access to electric vehicles, solar panels, heat pumps and more, we must ensure that these discussions and solutions center those most marginalized and reach all Vermonters or we are not solving the climate crisis at all.
For years the Public Utilities Commission has been packed with people who have effectively stopped in-state renewable energy from being built. In no time, our contract with out of state energy will end and the cost will then rise. Those increased costs will then be placed on the tax payers. The same tax payers that have no access to personal energy solutions. These are people that were appointed by the Governor and is an essential shift that must be made.
Again, this is the right thing to do and an easy yes and one that I too will do as Governor. But this without climate action this does not do anything to move us toward our climate goals. We need a Governor who does the difficult and necessary work to take Bold Climate Action and leave a better Vermont for our children and our planet. We can not afford two more years of this type of obstruction to our climate goals. Good enough is not enough. The world is burning. We have to do better.
Categories: politics
Hope it don’t get too hot in the back seat.
https://www.breitbart.com/environment/2022/08/03/electric-inferno-jaguar-i-pace-car-catches-on-fire-while-charging-burns-to-bare-metal/
When these batteries spontaneously combust, you don’t put them out with a garden hose. It’s a very intense fire, and requires the battery to be “flooded” (submerged) in water until it is out, and cooled.
Elect me, Governor. Save the salary of a chauffeur as I will personally drive my gas guzzler Aston Martin.
So am I supposed to be impressed by politicians who seemingly put their money where their mouths are ? If the Gov’s EV is not sufficiently charged, his security detail has other options. (VSP cruisers) How about VSP, and Game Wardens ? Let’s face it if a fleet vehicle is out of a charge, it’s not much of an issue. If a police cruiser is not available because it is in need of a charge, there could be dire consequences. We are just not ready to flip the switch on EVs for everybody yet. Add to this the inadequacies of the charging infrastructure, and the fact that the electricity you are charging it with maybe generated by a source that generates more carbon than the cars that it would be replacing, it would/should make a person question the advantages. Personally I won’t own one until I stop hearing about recalls that suggest that you don’t park them in a garage or other structure until they have figured out what is causing them to spontaneously combust.
So…your candidacy is animated by your vision of the “climate crisis” and you will use the Governor’s office of our state to address this…is that about it? Well, thank you very much for your offer to help us. Bless your heart, you seem like a serious minded person. I’m sure the constituency will give you appropriate consideration.
Why does he need a F-150 in the first place?
He’s going to plow with it in the winter.
The governor probably doesn’t have to worry about “Range Anxiety” like us mere mortals. The problem is that all critical thinking has disappeared. Imagine a police cruiser charging at the barracks when a call comes in, but the charge isn’t sufficient enough to get to the call location or there is a severe storm and the electric power is down, no charge. However, they will prove how serious they are about climate change, no matter who has to die for their demonstration of how WOKE and Virtuous they are. I’m sure the troopers are all ecstatic about swoping their fossil fuel Ford explorers for glorified golf carts. With all the on-board electrical equipment and lights this won’t end well. This election boils down to who is the most WOKE candidate to win. I’m a bit short on the $40+K which is okay with me, even if I have to drive to NH to fill up.
Even if the extended range version is purchased, it’s 320 mile range will limit travel for the good ‘guv. Unless of course, there’s a gasoline or diesel powered generator in the bed to assist…
EV’s have a place in Vermont, carting the ‘guv around ain’t it.
Virtue signaling is alive and well in this administration.
All-electric bandwagons are increasingly in use.
Cheaply purchased virtue. The whole climate change hoax is so over.
wow Phil… will you be driving an electric vehicle at thunder road?
Let’s not even go there ! Personally one of the reasons I love going to Daytona for the 500 is the noise, smell, the overall physical experience. If the cars sound like an electric weed wacker, it just won’t be the same. You might as well watch it at home on the TV.
👎👎👎👎👎👎hog wash period!!
Well China will be thrilled! Not to mention the extra brick of coal we’ll burn to provide the electricity for this boondoggle. Pretty tired of our leaders ignoring facts and virtue signaling their way through the news cycle for the flock to enjoy. Separate note, saw a study that this “Lightning” when towing a moderate load has a reduced range of 85 miles on a charge. Phil will have to camp locally in his state issued fifth wheel.
Here’s the article that supports your comment: https://www.westernjournal.com/journalists-hook-rv-93k-electric-truck-found-wouldnt-even-make-100-miles-needing-recharge/
I hope his state trooper driver gets a copy of Vermont campgrounds! The pick-up truck for Vermont is a good look campaigning until you realize, you can’t plow with it, the more you carry in it the mile range is reduced, when the battery is flat, you have to wait a few hours to resume your work and they just plain suck for anything other than urban travel of less than 100 miles.
Taxpayer funded and they are laughing in every taxpayer’s face. They enjoy the spoils of their treasonous corrupt, criminal conduct. Vermont is feeling like Argentina on a good day.
its the party line, party line, party line………the same bs coming down from on-high……and sucked up hook line sinker……..enough is enough VOTE them OUT