WASHINGTON (NEXSTAR) – The future of electric vehicles was front and center Wednesday at a congressional hearing.

President Joe Biden wants electric vehicles to be 50 percent of all new vehicle sales by 2030.

Automakers say the country drastically needs to invest in electric vehicle charging stations to boost EV sales.

“We know we absolutely need more charging stations for electric grid capacity,” Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.) said.

Stabenow and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.) own electric cars and believe they will help America become energy independent.

“As we reduce our dependence on oil and gas, we diminish our foreign adversaries’ ability to bully and corrupt,” Whitehouse said. 

During a Senate hearing Wednesday on the future of electric vehicles, Republicans called the transition unrealistic for most Americans.

“EVs best serve wealthier people,” Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said.

Grassley and Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) say the Biden administration should pump the breaks on their push.

“And from a Republican point of view, if you said there is no more mandate, I’d be curious to see what kind of sales would occur without a mandate,” Graham said.

Jeff Davis with Eno Center for Transportation is concerned that EVs are taking away gas tax dollars.

“Congress should carefully consider whether and how to replace the fossil fuel-based highway user taxes that currently support highway and mass transit spending with some other revenue source,” he said.

Lawmakers say they are working to find alternative revenue methods