No. 128: EV Credits Become Fees

Transportation has long been a key contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, and the electric vehicle transformation has been key to cutting back: not just for personal vehicles, but for commercial vehicles as well. It's a nascent technology, however, and early models were often price-prohibitive for the average consumer.

Enter the tax credit, up to $7,500, that the federal government offered to help incentivize the transition to electric vehicles. There was a good chance it was going to be targeted as part of the government changeover, and now the picture is getting clearer. More on that below.

On the job search front, you won't want to miss out on a pretty sweet marketing gig this week from a Certified B Corp that works on energy efficiency issues. I also have a slew of continuing education options to share to better position yourself for a hiring environment that increasingly values skills as much as college degrees. Off we go!

~ Greg

What we're reading

We knew that the $7,500 EV tax credit was at risk, and now we have two Senate bills on the books that target electric vehicles: one eliminates the tax credit and related investments, and another applies a $1,000 surcharge to electric vehicles. (The Verge)

• The latter sounds like overreach on face value, but it's actually an extension of a topic that states around the country have wrestled with for a while: gas taxes. Unfortunately, it also serves to deter EV purchases.
• Even before electric vehicles, people have been purchasing less gas because gas mileage has improved. That has put a dent in both state and federal budgets, particularly in transportation, and the government needs that funding to maintain infrastructure.
  • In the case of the federal gas tax, it hasn't increased since 1993. Like other financial values tied federal laws – I'm looking at you, minimum wage – it clearly should have increased to account for inflation.
  • That said, it's hard not to view the $1,000 surcharge as a Trojan horse where the gas tax is just an excuse to slap a penalty on EVs – especially when increasing the gas tax makes sense for all vehicle types.
• States have already been tackling the issue of lower gas tax revenues.
  • Take Washington for example: lawmakers have been trying to advance a bill out of committee that would supplement gas taxes by charging motorists per mile traveled. Four states have already implemented a program like this. Another 14 are experimenting with pilot programs, and 22 are in the research stage.
  • I like that approach because it levels the playing field for different types of vehicles. However, fees like the one proposed in the bill are already in use today. Many states apply higher registration costs for electric vehicles to try to recoup lost gas tax revenues. Those fees are far less than $1,000, but they are applied every year – meaning there's a good chance it would exceed the one-time charge in the proposed bill.
• Honestly, it wouldn't be the first time that we paid more for something that aligns to our values – that's par for the course when you purchase from a company with an ethical supply chain, higher employee wages, charitable giving, and so forth. Now we can add EVs to the list.

Job of the week

If you're the type of person who enjoys project work and the variety that comes along with it, you're not going to want to miss the featured job this week from Certified B Corp and energy efficiency gurus Evergreen Energy Partners. They're hiring for multiple roles, but the Marketing Manager opportunity stood out to me because it's a good fit for someone with a few years under their belt and it's fully remote.

Benefits are very solid. They offer paid time off for volunteering each year which is great if you have more than one cause that speaks to you. One benefit surprised me, however: a $500 incentive to take a week-long vacation. It's not uncommon for people to sit on their PTO and lose it at the end of the year, especially when the work means a lot to them, so I love this approach to get people to take time for themselves.

Community roundup

• Electricity demand from data centers is driving a Georgia utility to roll back plans to retire coal power by 2028. (Grist)
• Wildlife trade has largely gone unmonitored, reducing governments' abilities to regulate it and keep it sustainable. (Inside Climate News)
• Federal job cuts have hit the U.S. Forest Service and National Park Service, where roughly 3,400 and 1,000 workers have had their positions eliminated, respectively. (The Guardian)
  • Similar cuts are being made across the government and have targeted "probationary" employees who are recent hires or transfers within the government, making them easier to fire.
• Coca-Cola says it will adapt to Canadian tariffs on aluminum by increasing plastic bottle production in lieu of aluminum cans. (CNBC)
• EPA Administrator Lee Zeldin has one week left to make a determination on the endangerment finding, which gives the EPA the power to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. (POLITICO Pro)
  • Keep an eye on the recommendation this week. Courts could push back on a change to the endangerment finding, but if Zeldin makes changes that are upheld by the courts, it would diminish the EPA's ability to regulate the contributors to climate change.
• More than 30% of shoppers across demographic lines have changed their purchasing habits to avoid brands with differing political views. (Axios)
  • I'm curious about the inverse of this trend: a lot of people make purchases that align to their values, and I'd like to know if people are making the same purchases with different brands or if this is a pullback in purchasing altogether. The latter would have major economic impacts – 30% is a significant swing in purchasing decisions.

Hot job opportunities

• Senior Backend Engineer – Green River – Remote
• Customer Success Manager – Kalderos – Remote
• Director, Employee Relations – Rivian – Palo Alto, CA and Atlanta, GA
• Staff Product Manager – Understood – New York, NY
• Lead Mechanical Engineer – Panthalassa – Portland, OR
• Direct Marketing Operations Manager – Possible Finance – Seattle, WA
• Executive Assistant – Thrive Market – Los Angeles, CA
• Impact Associate – Trimtab – Atlanta, GA
• Business Development Representative – InStride – Remote
• Director, Digital Communications – Aledade – Remote

Resource of the week

One of the ways that companies are modernizing their talent acquisition is by eliminating a degree requirement in favor of work experience and skills-based hiring. That's not to knock the four-year education – countless people have a degree from colleges and universities, including myself – but a degree doesn't have to be a barrier to a career change that you've been eyeing as you venture into social impact.

Once you have an idea of the type of job you are seeking, even if it's aspirational, start to look for themes in the job requirements. What type of skills are they looking for in a candidate? From there, you can search online for certificate programs specific to those skills.

Here are a couple of sources I'm familiar with, but there's no need to limit yourself to these companies and organizations – let your search engine be your guide.

• Climate fellowship programs from Terra and Climatebase
• Tech company skills (and not just in tech areas) from Grow with Google
• Wide variety of online certificates from eCornell, Stanford, Harvard, and others – just search your favorite universities

Test your knowledge

President Carter's humanitarian work after leaving office all but eradicated guinea worm disease, making it the first parasitic infection to be eradicated. When they first resolved to tackle this disease, it affected around 3.5 million people. It was generally survivable but sounds agonizing: the parasite grows in the body before escaping through a lesion on the skin. Good riddance, I say, and a great reminder about the importance of a clear vision and perseverance.

You might recognize the answer to this week's question if you've ever shopped for an Apple device, though the organization behind it works with other brands as well:

Bono cofounded two organizations that focus on poverty and health. Can you name either of them?

Email me your guess, and I'll send one lucky winner a couple of One Work stickers!

I saw Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats in concert over the weekend. You know how a song can remind you of a moment in time? Well, it sure felt like some of the lyrics were made for this moment:

You seem tired today. Were you up all night afraid of what the future might bring?

If that sounds like you, here's a friendly reminder:

You ain't come far enough. You ain't worked hard enough. You ain't run far enough to say, "It ain't gonna get any better."

So let's keep working – it will get better.