So far about 11 states charge an EV annual fee for road usage. Only one state (Idaho) apparently hits hybrids and just a few hit PHEV with fees. Sounds like Washington considering a new PHEV fee (PiP is free, looks like!). NH has a proposal for a road usage fee for all vehicles over 20 MPG, prorated Based on MPG (this is better than taxing hybrids per se). WI has been considering. Green Car Congress: 11 states assessing fees on EV owners in lieu of traditional fuel taxes
I'm driving a Prius in PA and pay about $200 a year for Federal and State gasoline taxes. Why should EV and PEV drivers get a free ride? Someone has to pay for the highway infrastucture. I think those fees are fair.
Yes I think a fee for Plug_ins is a fair approach. Generally plug-in advocates agree with that for the long term, although they feel, for the short term, a grace period without a state fee helps to give EV's a better chance to compete. My post was not to suggest anything is unfair, except it is unfair to tax hybrids like Idaho is doing. However if a state wants to tax all high (>20) MPG cars like NH is proposing, that would be fair approach. Good luck convincing the voters, but at least it does not single out hybrids for punishment.
The real problem is they did not index gas taxes to CAFE changes. Prius gas taxes are minute compared to an SUV going from 18 MPG to 22 MPG. Bob Wilson
You might want to read this: Electric-Car Drivers Don't Pay Their Share? Actually, No One Does Kind of reminds me of the old joke/adage about the power company encouraging people to conserve power. But then when people actually do that, the power company complains that people aren't using enough power, and asks for a price hike.
Viriginia we now have gaso tax indexed to inflation, and we put a floor on it, so when gaso price goes down, gaso tax stays put at what it was 2-yrs ago. So our gaso tax can go up, but it cannot go down. Good thing they did that.
Many point out how small the plugin fleet is, nation wide. Yet the hammer is coming down. Heck, if hammering the minority high efficiency rides is the way to go, then where's the hydrogen hammer. Let me guess - exemption? .
If the purpose of gas taxes are to pay for the roads, gas taxes should be eliminated for everyone. In their place should be annual fees based on the weight and miles driven, for ALL vehicles. If sticking with a gas tax, there is no way to do it "fairly". Any car that gets better gas mileage (or doesn't use gas) than another of similar weight, will be "unfairly" paying less tax. You can make all sorts of kludge factors, exceptions and new laws, which is exactly what our country does not need. Fix it right, and fix it once (index it to inflation). If the gas tax is to be used to encourage efficiency, admit that and don't create exceptions that the punish efficiency.
We are a schizophrenic society. On the one face, we give a tax credit or pay incentives to buy efficient vehicles - then legislatures turn around & somewhat arbitrarily draw a line by not incentivizing via gas road tax. Rationally, one would think that they'd want to make it easier via both incentives or neither ... make it more costly to run on carbon fuel - or not. But it's illogical (for example) to waive toll bridge & road charges, but not waive other costs. If you incentivize one thing you make the other group take the hit. Right now, the whole incentive thing is done in a very wishy washy fashion. .
The new Federal Highway Transportation Bill is expected to pass House/Senate. >>No increase in Federal 18.4 cents/gal gaso tax. Extra funding coming from other places in the budget, in lieu of raising gaso tax. There was a possible move to give natural gas cars the $7500 tax credit like EV, but unclear if this was adopted. As far as I can see so far, the draft proposed EV language - suggesting states charge a fee for Plug_ins per above list - is no longer included.
