Pete Buttigieg on why Tesla wasn't invited to Biden EV event: 'I'm not sure'

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg said Thursday he doesn’t know why Elon Musk’s Tesla, by far the biggest name in electric vehicles, won’t appear at the White House when President Joe Biden takes new steps in support of clean cars and trucks.

“I’m not sure,” Buttigieg said when asked on CNBC’s “Squawk Box” why Tesla was snubbed from the event, where Biden is expected to sign an executive order setting a national goal for half of all new cars and trucks to be electric or zero-emission by 2030.

Other U.S. auto giants Ford and GM, as well as Stellantis, formerly Fiat Chrysler, and the United Auto Workers union, are slated to stand alongside Biden at the 3 p.m. ET event.

But Tesla — which is not unionized and has resisted efforts to organize — never heard from the pro-union Biden White House about it.

That’s according to Musk himself, who tweeted overnight, “Yeah, seems odd that Tesla wasn’t invited.”

Asked about that tweet, Buttigieg said he had not seen it, and then quickly shifted his focus away from Tesla.

“We’re excited about all of the momentum for making sure that Americans can drive electric vehicles going into the future,” Buttigieg said.

“And by the way, we’re also moving toward a future where this is all across the market. I don’t want there to be a perception that this is just a kind of luxury thing, or that this is just for cars that you use to zip around cities,” said the former mayor of South Bend, Indiana.

A White House official, asked about Tesla’s absence, told CNBC, “We of course welcome the efforts of all automakers who recognize the potential of an electric future and support efforts that will help reach President Biden’s goal.”

“And we’re excited to see the support and goals not just from the three automakers who will be here today, but all automakers who realize this potential,” the official said.

The Biden administration is expected to announce a proposal to beef up federal fuel economy and emission standards through the 2026 model-year. Those proposed standards are subject to a public comment period and final approval.

The former Trump administration had strongly opposed strengthening fuel efficiency standards, and had challenged California over a deal it struck with some carmakers to do reduce emissions.

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[tcm]

If Biden leaves the greenest company of the country out of the agenda, I am not sure what that would mean for accomplishing the agenda?

[billtruttschel]

Pete, you're the freaking Transportation Secretary. It's literally your job to know this stuff.

[Wongseifu]

Literally not inviting the leader of ev is odd

[Tendomcgoobin]

Pete's still in training for properly dodging questions without raising suspicion.

[g.elliott]

Ridiculous Pete. Only one missing is the EV leader.

[komyo]

It would be super awkward to invite the Wolf to a gathering of Sheep.

[ramses]

The question should be repeated over and over: "Why wasn't Tesla invited? Why the leader of the EV sector was not invited to a EV event promoted by the White House?"

[CrypticFoxGaming]

His BS political response very clearly highlights that the non-invitation was intentional...Speak a lot without saying anything.

[ericp]

Transportation Secretary doesn’t know? Then who would? Guess Tesla didn’t pay to play.

[ThreePuttBogeys]

I don’t think I’ve ever heard a smoother BS artist.

[xpkareem]

This guy seems to be avoiding the question. Pretty important detail that the first and most popular EV maker in America wasn't invited. Avoiding the question makes me think there's something he doesn't want to admit to.

[freeze-frames]

Sorry to miss the event, I'll be driving my Tesla

[goingballisticmotion]

Elon is too busy building actual EV's to attend anyway. Saved him the need to decline. He got better things to do.

[overcamehim]

This snub of Tesla assures that when I buy an ev it will be a Tesla.

[PhrugalPhan]

Transportation secretary that holds event to discuss EV policy and then doesn't know why the company with over 75% of the domestic EV market wasn't invited. Yeah, I'm sure happy we got these winners running the country now. *cough, cough*

[grildcheez]

WTF. How about " I'm sorry. Invites should go to ALL automakers and will fire the guy who missed them. The bucks stops at me. I can't be an exclusionary trasportation secretary." How about some straight talk Pete. Trust went down with this dude bigtime.

[paulsommerhalder]

"I haven't seen that. I'm not sure." Business as Usual in the Biden Admin😝

[guslevy]

And next week, the WH announced that they will be holding a “Celebrate Space Exploration” celebration to congratulate all the large players who are keeping America at the forefront of space technology.

The key invites include Boeing, Jeff Bezos, The Weeknd, GM, Ford, the SEIU leadership, Lavar Burton, all members of the Screen Actors Guild that have won an Oscar, Elton John and The Science Guy.

[TheElectricMan]

How are you going to have a meeting and not invite Tesla?

[toddmurray]

Ridiculous that CNBC let him off the hook about why Tesla not invited.