Joe Biden showed off his driving skills in the backyard of a General Motors plant, getting behind the wheel and screeching the tires of a new electric-powered Hummer.
“These suckers are something else!” Biden enthused on Wednesday after doing a few laps in the cutting-edge Hummer EV, which is fully electric, representing a break from its gas-guzzling predecessors.
Aside from testing the speed of the vehicle – GM says it goes from 0 to 60 in three seconds – the US president also checked out its ‘crab-walk’ mode, which is intended to give the vehicle better maneuverability and the ability to move diagonally around obstacles. “Anyone want to jump in the back, or on the roof?” Biden asked journalists through the vehicle’s open window.
The test-drive took place in Detroit, the heart of America’s automobile industry, where Biden had come to tout his $1 trillion infrastructure bill that was signed into law on Monday. The event came as Biden’s approval ratings continue to plunge amid rising inflation and massive supply-chain disruptions.
Among other things, the bill earmarks $7.5 billion to build the US electric vehicle charging network, which the government expects will encourage Americans to switch to electric cars. Last year, electric vehicles accounted for only 1.8% of new vehicles sold in the country.
Biden told GM workers that “up until now, China has been leading in this race,” but promised to change that, with more money being funneled into production of batteries and parts for electric vehicles in America.
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