Question Of The Day: Should EV Owners Be Immune To Road Taxes?

Indiana recently became the latest state to suggest the idea of an “EV tax.” As we’ve covered before, several states have implemented additional yearly fees for electric vehicles. Even California floated the idea at one point.

At first glance, it seems almost reasonable – revenue from gas taxes is falling because cars across the board are using less (or no) gas; infrastructure spending is sorely needed but is only getting more costly thus squeezing budgets even more; more efficient cars, particularly electric cars, are getting by without paying their “fair share” because even though they use the same roads they don’t pay as much (or at all) to maintain them.

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TheSteve - 1/19/2017 5:05:46 PM

+2 Boost

No.

However, if we want to conduct social engineering to incentivise low emissions or high fuel economy, then we should do so for ALL vehicles that meet certain criteria, regardless of the technology used.

To venerate EVs simply because they're EVs is foolhardy. It promotes assumptions and false beliefs, such as "every EV is better than any non-EV because... well... it's an EV... so there."

TomM - 1/19/2017 5:36:03 PM

+1 Boost

EVs should be exempt from Highway taxes as long as they are not allowed to drive on the highways built from those taxes. Force them to use local roads and non-interstate highways - which will reduce the traffic for all of us who - by buying gasoline - have PAID for the roads WE use.

Let them start their own highway system

skinny - 1/20/2017 11:01:29 AM

+1 Boost

Your idea is to have special EV highways? Wow! That's seems like a great idea.

Maybe wrong but I believe local roads are built and maintained by local/county property taxes.

State roads and highways are funded by the state gas tax as well as tolls.

How about EV users just pay a annual road maintenance tax based on weight/mileage driven per year.

SanJoseDriver - 1/19/2017 6:41:55 PM

-1 Boost

I actually going to go with No as well, but any subsides for the oil and gas industry should be eliminated as well. Eventually all cars will be EVs, and the sooner we get to that point the better. The exemption may help us get to that point sooner, but the right thing to do is for all cars that use the road to pay their fair share of taxes.

If you really want to be egalitarian about it, the taxes should also be weighted by:

1.) How many miles you drive
2.) How large the vehicle is
3.) How heavy the vehicle is
4.) How statistically safe the vehicle is
5.) How much pollution it produces

Those factors all determine how much of an impact a vehicle has on the roads and vehicles with a bigger impact should pay a larger share.

800over - 1/20/2017 11:28:05 AM

+4 Boost

Does the government still subsidise Ethanol production? this is from wikipedia:

"In 2010, CBO estimated that taxpayer costs to reduce gasoline consumption by one gallon were $1.78 for corn ethanol and $3.00 for cellulosic ethanol."

SanJoseDriver - 1/20/2017 9:24:54 PM

+2 Boost

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energy_subsidies

MDarringer - 1/19/2017 7:54:03 PM

+2 Boost

If they drive on the road, they need to be taxed. End of discussion.