The criticism is of all new cars, not just EVs, but EVs are the only new cars that would've otherwise been worth considering.
Or in other words, what you wrote is a lie because old ICE cars without surveillance exist, but there is practically* no such equivalent for EVs.
It has to do with EVs in the sense that (practically speaking) every single one of them is new enough to be infested with surveillance, so (unlike with ICE) there's no option to avoid it by going with an old vehicle.
Also, nobody gives a shit about new ICE cars, so there's no point in mentioning them when they weren't within the realm of consideration to begin with.