FAIR OR UNFAIR? Colorado Joins List Of States Piling Fees On EV Cars

States are quickly learning that promoting electric cars is coming with a high price tag. Colorado has joined a growing number of states that are imposing fees on electric and alternative vehicles to recover “lost” gas tax revenues.

As of this year, Coloradans driving electric, alternative fuel and high-efficiency vehicles will pay a $50 registration fee to capture more revenue from vehicles that use less traditional gasoline. This is part of a growing trend by which states are looking to recoup declining gas tax revenues as vehicles become more fuel efficient and drivers buy more electric vehicles.

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randy3023 - 1/6/2014 3:33:51 PM

0 Boost

• This measure is obviously stupid and wasteful until the states also repeal the tax REBATES which are issued to purchasers of plug-in cars. Give somebody $6,000 for buying a plug-in car then charge them $50/yr? Makes no sense.

• The measure is blatantly IGNORANT of the fact that plug-in vehicles are currently MORE EXPENSIVE than traditional vehicles and thus the purchaser ALREADY PAYS A TAX PREMIUM to the state in the form of:

(1) increased total state sales tax (if the vehicle was purchased in-state) and
(2) increased income tax paid by the buyer who ostensibly pays a HIGHER TAX RATE and HIGHER TOTAL AMOUNT OF TAX of income tax due to their income bracket.

So many ignorant, TAX CRAZY idiots in government. These fools need to CUT SPENDING, not enact dumb legislation that wastes everyone's time.

scenicbyway12 - 1/6/2014 3:42:28 PM

0 Boost

Count me in favor of this tax, gas and diesel vehicles pay federal and state taxes for road improvement and up keep so should electric cars.

Car4Life - 1/6/2014 4:04:46 PM

+1 Boost

Colorado is off too a fantastic start for the New Year! Legalize Marijuana and Restrict EVs!!!

Although this could be a safety precaution to reduce the risk of being hit by an EV while high...

MattDarringer - 1/6/2014 7:27:12 PM

+2 Boost

Amen and double it I say. EVs are not yet viable as true replacements for ICE cars.

LJ745 - 1/6/2014 9:18:26 PM

+1 Boost

I agree with randy. Taxing cars that get rebates is idiotic. Some of you may think that CO doesn't offer rebates and so this tax would then make sense, but CO offers $6,000 (maximum) in credits, as Randy points out, on top of the $7,500 in federal credits. So a Nissan Leaf, which costs about 28,800 will costs 21,300 after the $7,500 federal credit. That numbers is then multiplied by the kW size of the battery (24 kW)and divided by 100 to get the state tax credit, which is $5,112, brining total cost down to $16,188. Thus, the Leaf is cheaper to buy than most compacts all done on the backs of taxpayers. At $50 per year, it will take CO a little over 102 years to recoup the rebate. That might just be the dumbest thing I have ever seen.

leej - 1/7/2014 5:34:55 PM

+1 Boost

Everyone should pay a fair share in taxes to support transportation infrastructure. A tax based on mileage driven would be better...the more you use something, the more you need to pay...pretty simple way to collect taxes regardless of fuel source.