The Republican party’s sweeping victory at the polls Tuesday may deal a difficult blow to one of America’s most closely watched companies: Tesla, the electric car maker that’s trying to revolutionize the auto industry.
Some of the biggest implications for Tesla may come in the form of new U.S. energy policies that favor traditional fuel sources such as oil and coal, said Kathryn Thomson, a former top lawyer for the Federal Aviation Administration and the Department of Transportation.
“Anybody who advocates for energy-efficient, sustainable solutions should be worried,” said Thomson. “On the one hand, Trump is saying, ‘Let’s look at all the options,’ and that’s positive. On the other hand, he seems to be pushing more-conventional fuels and technologies. And that’s not good for innovation, and that’s not good for efficiency and sustainability.”