Why doesn't the US government mandate electric cars from the AUTOMAKERS and subsidize the cost to US citizens

the government can't mandate anything for business in a free market economy. Even when factory pollution was an issue the government couldn't mandate that companies stop producing pollution. Instead of mandating the halt on production the government began giving incentives to companies who took measures to reduce pollution. By mandating anything to large businesses it would undermine the capitalist ideology that our country is based on. Now they can provide incentives for companies and citizens who use and sell electric cars. Its a good idea but unfortunately that's as far as it would be able to go.