EC Georgia News

Today, Congressman Rick W. Allen (GA-12), U.S. Senators Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Tim Scott (R-SC), along with Congressman Joe Wilson (SC-02), sent a bipartisan, bicameral letter to Ambassador Katherine Tai of the Office of the United States Trade Representative (USTR). The letter urges Ambassador Tai to include vehicles such as golf carts, Personal Transportation Vehicles (PTVs), and Low-Speed Vehicles (LSVs) in the definition of "electric vehicle" concerning forthcoming tariffs on Chinese-subsidized imports.

In their letter, the members stated: "Today our country faces a deluge of imported vehicles from China being sold at artificially low prices, allowing heavily subsidized Chinese manufacturers to capture market share at an alarming rate. This market capture threatens the viability of the domestic manufacturing base, and we strongly believe that China should not continue to reap the unjustified rewards of unfair trade practices. As you work to define 'electric vehicle' in the forthcoming tariff definition, we believe that definition should include small electric utility vehicles for personal use."

The members concluded: "Without specific action, we believe the growth of imports in this class of electric vehicles over the past two years is a foreshadowing of the erosion of domestic market share and the jobs associated with their production that will continue. Tariffs on these Chinese-subsidized imports would ensure fair competition, provided the USTR ensures that the definition of electric vehicle includes golf carts, PTVs, and LSVs."

BACKGROUND: The Central Savannah River Area, encompassing Georgia and South Carolina, has long been a significant hub for U.S. golf cart manufacturing. It is home to two large producers delivering electric vehicle models for personal and recreational transportation – PTVs, LSVs, and golf carts. These producers have been significantly impacted by Chinese-subsidized imports.

To read the full letter to Ambassador Tai, click here.