With Election Day just days away, Democratic frontrunner Xavier Becerra has put electric vehicle owners on notice. In a recent KCRA interview, the former U.S. Health and Human Services secretary and California Attorney General said “everything should be on the table” to fund roads and bridges. When asked about a mileage-based tax, he was blunt: “Do I want to tax people more than necessary? No. Should we pay a gas tax? Yes. Should people who drive electric vehicles, who don’t need gas, pay for those roads to be repaired as well? Absolutely.”
California does not currently impose a statewide per-mile tax. Lawmakers have spent more than a decade studying the idea through pilot programs after the rise of EVs and fuel-efficient vehicles began eroding gas-tax revenue, the traditional source of highway funding. Assembly Bill 1421 advanced further study rather than creating a new tax, and a final report is expected later. Existing zero-emission vehicles already face an annual Road Improvement Fee of roughly $122 at registration, a flat charge meant to offset the fact that they pay nothing at the pump.
Becerra’s comments go further. He frames a usage fee as a fairness issue: EV drivers use the same roads but currently contribute far less through fuel taxes. Pilot programs have tested rates in the range of 2–4 cents per mile. For a driver covering 12,000–15,000 miles a year, that could mean several hundred dollars annually—on top of the existing EV registration fee, high vehicle registration costs, and one of the nation’s steepest gasoline taxes for those who still drive conventional cars. Critics note that heavier EV batteries can increase road wear, yet the practical result of a mileage charge would hit high-mileage EV households hardest while gas drivers might see partial offsets through fuel-tax credits.
Privacy and implementation concerns linger. Tracking mileage typically requires odometer reporting, plug-in devices, or smartphone apps. California’s roads remain in poor condition in many areas despite years of elevated gas taxes and fees, fueling skepticism that new revenue would primarily fix potholes rather than expand other spending. Becerra has separately discussed new taxes on high earners and potential fees on corporations whose employees rely on Medi-Cal, signaling a broader willingness to seek additional revenue amid projected budget pressures.
Polls show Becerra leading Republican Steve Hilton by a wide margin. For the hundreds of thousands of Californians who bought EVs—often with state incentives and the expectation of lower ongoing costs—the candidate’s remarks amount to a clear warning. A mileage tax remains under study, not enacted, but Becerra has now stated that EV drivers “absolutely” should help pay for the roads they use and that all options remain open. Voters who own electric vehicles have until November 3 to decide whether that stance belongs in the governor’s office.