The new lobbying group will focus on five key policy pillars, including consumer EV incentives and domestic manufacturing.
ZETA will also push for infrastructure improvements, such as EV charging stations and emissions standards, which should make the transition to electric cars easier.
The association said achieving 100% EVs sales in ten years would create “hundreds of thousands of new jobs, secure American global EV manufacturing leadership, dramatically improve public health and significantly reduce carbon pollution.”
Some states are already moving in that direction. California recently announced its plans to ban the sale of new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035. New Jersey followed suit in October.
The new industry group doesn’t intend to push states into requiring its residents to only purchase EVs, but rather it supports policies to boost their sale.
“The next decade will be critical in implementing federal policies that accelerate the transition to zero emissions vehicles and help address these problems head-on,” executive director Joe Britton said in the statement.
Albemarle lithium president Eric Norris noted the US was tracking behind other countries in driving the adoption of EVs.
“As an industry leader and major US producer of lithium, Albemarle is committed to powering the potential of clean energy and is excited to join ZETA’s mission in positioning the US to support a clean and sustainable environment”, Norris said.
ZETA members include Piedmont Lithium (ASX: PLL), which aims to develop a fully integrated spodumene-to-hydroxide business in North Carolina, and fellow Aussie miner ioneer (ASX: INR) — the owner of the Rhyolite Ridge lithium project in Nevada.
“We view a global shift to electric vehicles as central to our mission,” ioneer managing director Bernard Rowe said.
“As the most developed lithium project in the United States, not only are we excited to be working closely with fellow leaders across the automotive supply chain, we understand the importance of ensuring US national policy supports a greener future.
Other members included ABB, Siemens and Lucid Motors.
