State Rep Brooks Landgraf says the advent of electric vehicles will not by any means spell the demise of the oilfield.
Quite the opposite, the Odessa Republican says.
“While environmental extremists may think the widespread adoption of EVs will lead to the end of fossil fuels, they are, thankfully, sorely mistaken,” Landgraf said. “This should come as no surprise as the radical left consistently displays its overwhelming ignorance when it comes to all things oil and gas because nearly every component that makes up an electric vehicle requires materials derived from the production of oil and natural gas.”
He said EVs must be largely constructed of plastic to offset the weight of their batteries. “Electric vehicles, powered by batteries that can weigh 1,000 pounds or more, would be too heavy to be an efficient means of transportation without the significant use of plastic throughout the construction of the vehicle and plastics, as we all know, are derived from oil.
“Furthermore, the electricity that will fuel these charging stations will predominantly come from natural gas. In its attempt to force the market and nation to adopt EVs, the Biden administration has inadvertently created another clear pathway to ensure that Permian Basin oil and natural gas remain relevant long into the distant future.”
Landgraf recently reported that the Texas Department of Transportation had been awarded $407.8 million through the U.S. Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act with $64.4 million to be used this year to start the installation by private companies of charging stations every 50 miles on interstate highways and every 70 miles on secondary roads and in rural areas.
TxDOT must submit its five-year plan for EVs to the Federal Highway Administration by Aug. 1.
