Murkowski Says Gasoline Not "Energy Future," Congress "Very Excited" by Electric Cars

by James Osborne (Houston Chronicle) Sen. Lisa Murkowski said Friday she believed an electric vehicle revolution was coming and Congress is eager to make policy changes and fund research to help the automotive industry transition.

"We're looking to our energy future, and our energy future is going to be one where our transportation fleet is not powered by gasoline," the Alaska Republican and chair of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee said at the CERAWeek energy conference, hosted by the consulting firm IHS Markit. "These are things folks on my committee get very excited about."

As some analysts and even CEOs are predicting oil demand could peak within a decade, many others pushed back during this year's CERA conference,arguing electric vehicle adoption rates were being over-hyped.

"EVs are not the silver bullet everyone is looking for," BP CEO Bob Dudley this week.

Murkowski, whose state is a major oil and gas producer, avoided predicting the rate at which electric vehicles will he adopted. But her enthusiasm for the technology suggested manufacturers will have a welcome audience as they seek changes in federal policies from road safety to insurance to accommodate autonomous vehicles.

Autonomous vehicles are expected to be almost entirely electric, offering a path for a potentially fast shift away from gasoline-powered vehicles. GM is scheduled to release an autonomous vehicle next year. READ MORE