NASHVILLE (AP) - Republican U.S. Sen. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee has found ample policy areas to criticize Democratic President Barack Obama about, but encouraging the development of electric cars is not one of them.
Alexander said before a speech at a Tennessee Valley Authority forum in Nashville on Wednesday that there is bipartisan agreement on the need to spur the production of affordable electric vehicles.
In Alexander's words, "I'm glad to support and applaud the president when he does things that I agree with and that I think are good for the country."
Nissan North America Inc. is building a lithium-ion battery plant outside Nashville as part of a plan to build the Leaf, a five-passenger all-electric car.
The plant is part of a $1.7 billion investment, most of it coming from a federal loan aimed at fostering energy independence.
Copyright 2010 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
