Sen. Debbie Stabenow | Senate Democrats/Wikimedia Commons
Sen. Debbie Stabenow | Senate Democrats/Wikimedia Commons
A Democratic U.S. senator who said high gas prices were irrelevant to her after buying an electric vehicle is receiving criticism from Republican leaders, who accuse her of being out of touch with average Americans.
Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) made the comment during a Senate Finance Committee hearing this week, the Daily Mail reported. EVs are powered by motors that use electricity-charged batteries rather than gas.
"On the issue of gas prices — after waiting for a long time to have enough chips in this country to finally get my electric vehicle — I got it and drove it from Michigan to here this last weekend and went by every single gas station and it didn't matter how high it was," Stabenow said during the hearing. "I'm looking forward to the opportunity for us to move to vehicles that aren't going to be dependent on the whims of the oil companies and the international markets."
Stabenow's comments were made on a day that the national average price per gallon of gas was $4.92, the Daily Mail reported.
The national average on Wednesday was nearly $4.96 per gallon, AAA reported. In Michigan, the average was $5.21 per gallon, which is more than 50 cents higher than a week prior.
The cost of an electric vehicle is near the median household income for Michigan residents and isn't a feasible purchase for most people, the Daily Mail reported.
The median annual household income in Michigan is $59,234, the United States Census Bureau reported.
The annual salary for U.S. senators is $174,000, the Senate reported.
The average cost of an EV in May was $64,338, PR Newswire reported using data from Kelley Blue Book. For all types of cars, the average price was $47,148.
"The average price for a new electric vehicle — over $64,000 according to Kelley Blue Book estimates — is well above the industry average and more aligned with luxury prices than mainstream prices," PR Newswire reported.
Adding to the cost of the vehicle, EV owners often install Level 2 chargers — which cost approximately $2,000 — in their homes to charge their cars quickly and preserve the longevity of their batteries, CNBC reported.
Stabenow's remarks were met with criticism from Republican politicians such as U.S. Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), who said Democrats mock working-class Americans' struggles, and U.S. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA), the Daily Mail reported.
"Democrats don't understand the problems of everyday Americans," Kelly said on Twitter.
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