Threading the Needle: The Balance of Production and Consumption  

March 4 2024

Economy, Labor Management, Management, TAUC News

The union construction and maintenance industry has led the charge on electric vehicle (EV) manufacturing to the tune of over $30 billion in 2023. On its face, this is an outstanding achievement worth celebrating. Automakers and the federal government have clearly committed themselves to a future of electromobility – employing thousands and building breathtaking facilities around the country. At this rate, electric vehicles are primed to take over a road near you. 

But why aren’t they? Only 9% of vehicle purchases made last year were electric vehicles, a number that doesn’t seem to be providing a worthwhile return on investment for the automakers or the American taxpayer helping fund these projects. Obviously, all parties involved would like to see EVs take over the roads, but a combination of few options and often steep costs, the EV movement does not currently have the grip on the auto market that was envisioned when these projects broke ground. 

However, as construction professionals, we are well aware of the groundwork that must be done before we can drive down the road to everything that we built. The factories must be built before the cars, and the cars must be built before they can be driven. The negative press coming from seemingly every angle may just be missing the mark.  

As was mentioned before, the construction and maintenance industry is leading the charge. We are not finished. The automakers have set the table for the market to fill with EV options for all consumers. The places where these ‘cars of the future’ will come from are beginning to take shape. Do not write off electromobility before it is ready to start its’ engine – or in this case, run its’ battery. 

*Featured image: Ford F-150 Lightning