Ron DeSantis May Have Vetoed Florida EV Bill For His Presidential Ambitions

Image: Wilfredo Lee (AP)

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis recently killed an EV bill that would have saved Floridians a lot of money. While it was convenient that the move came just after former president Donald Trump gave a speech that railed on both DeSantis and EVs, Trump may not have been the reason for the vetoing of the bill at all. The Orlando Sentinel reports that DeSantis’ puzzling veto may have had more to do with the 2024 Presidential Election.

The bill, SB 284, was sponsored by Sen. Jason Brodeur ( R-Lake Mary). It would have required state agencies and entities like colleges and universities to buy fleet vehicles based on their “lowest lifetime costs” rather than fuel efficiency, as current state laws require. This would have caused these agencies to favor EVs, which have lower lifetime maintenance costs. Entities across the state would have been required to make their purchase recommendations by July 1, 2024. Groups that supported state agencies embracing EVs and alternative fuel vehicles welcomed the bill. But when it crossed DeSantis’ desk, he struck it down, leaving officials scratching their heads.

“It was a common sense, good governance bill. There is nothing in this bill that any person in America should be against,” said former Sen. Jeff Brandes, a Tampa Bay Republican who tried getting similar legislation through last year.

Worse yet is the cost savings that both state agencies and tax payers are missing out on. Alternative energy groups and industry experts say that $277 million over 15 years would have been saved had state agencies and other entities had switched to EV fleets, with savings of “an average of $18,000 per vehicle.” But it could be more to it than just not wanting EVs. DeSantis is hoping to be the 2024 presidential nominee for the Republican Party. And that would require getting on the good side of Iowa voters

Killing the bill panders to Iowa voters ahead of the 2024 presidential caucus. A bill that favors EVs wouldn’t look too kindly to voters in a state that supports ethanol, a fuel Florida fleets extensively use. At the end of the day though, state reps say his moves are doing nothing but hurting Florida voters at the expensive of his own agenda, like Rep. Anna Eskamani (D-Orlando). “Not a single part of his agenda that passed is helping Floridians. His agenda is tailored to the needs of Republican [primary and caucus voters],” Eskamani said.