What to Know
A growing debate over electric vehicle policies fueled federal lobbying efforts in 2024, driving spending by the oil and gas sector as well as automotive industry.
By the Numbers
Propelled in part by the Biden administration's push for more widespread EV adoption, the automotive sector — encompassing both EV manufacturers and traditional automakers — invested about $44.8 million in federal lobbying during the first half of 2024.
The oil and gas industry spent another $72 million on federal lobbying in the first half of 2024, putting the sector on track to surpass its 2023 total of $137 million, even when adjusted for inflation.
Dig Deeper
The American Fuel and Petrochemical Manufacturers, a trade association representing hundreds of fuel refining and petrochemical companies, emerged as the top spender within the oil and gas sector. AFPM led the industry with $8.1 million in federal lobbying expenditures, marking the first time it outspent each of the top individual companies in the sector. The trade group’s lobbying efforts are largely focused on countering the expansion of electric vehicles and new vehicle emissions standards.
AFPM recently launched a $3 million swing state ad buy targeting Vice President Kamala Harris, arguing that "there may be someone new in the driver's seat, but the destination is the same: a ban on most new gas cars.
Former President Donald Trump has echoed AFPM in attacks on Harris for her stances on EVs, even as his own position on the issue has shifted. The former president claims that vehicle emissions standards are detrimental to consumer choice but also called for a limited adoption of EVs after receiving an endorsement from Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
With significant investments on the line, policy fights around EVs are likely to grow more heated as 2024 wears on.
