Tesla CEO Elon Musk and a pair of top aides to President Joe Biden met in Washington on Friday to discuss the electric vehicle industry and its broader electrification goals.
Musk and Biden did not meet, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said.
The two men don’t have the smoothest relationship, with Biden, a union supporter, frustrated by Musk’s refusal to enter his factory.
White House aides Mitch Landrieu and John Podesta sat down with leaders of Tesla — which also owns Twitter and SpaceX — at Tesla’s offices in downtown Washington to discuss their shared goals for electrification.
The talk touched on how the infrastructure and climate legislation that Biden signed last year could help boost the production of electric vehicles and charging stations, and encourage more people to switch from gasoline-fueled vehicles to electric vehicles and choose more electric appliances. like heat pumps and stoves. Rebates and tax credits are available to encourage these changes.
Landrieu oversees federal spending on infrastructure, including financial aid for the electric vehicle industry. Podesta is the president’s point of departure for Biden’s climate and clean energy initiatives.
Asked if the meeting marked a new phase in the White House’s relationship with Musk, Jean-Pierre said it “says a lot” about how Biden sees the importance of the two pieces of legislation.
“I think it’s important that the team, the senior members of the team, have a meeting with Elon Musk,” he said.
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