Here comes the first report of many no doubt...

[gr4z]

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

I await the inevitable tax from the Government when loads of people have been persuaded to move over to EVs. Thoughts?

 

[Dan44]

If you drive a car, I'll tax the street
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat
If you get too cold, I'll tax the heat
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

 

[MrBadger]

Last I heard, about 2-3 years back direct from someone who worked advising the government was that it will eventually go "time and use" road pricing. They had the technology then to do it then (iirc it was gantry based and a small white windscreen sticker), but I think they were looking at other alternatives. Just go on a road trip with a bluetooth low energy sniffer and you will see how simple it is in practice. This technology is already used for other purposes. I'm surprised that Tesla don't already use it to do an electronic wave to other Teslas.

 

[pdk42]

It's got to happen. I suspect we're just turning the corner now on EVs. In five years time, I expect EV sales will be at least 50% of total vehicle sales. By then the government must put something new in place. The only obvious (and fair) way is to go for usage-based pricing, perhaps with variable rates based on propulsion type (EVs being cheaper of course!).

 

[kgfaith]

Don't forget why there is "Fuel Duties" from the start. Just like there is a "tobacco tax" for cigarettes, oil company should be taxed for the health care expenses to deal with health issues caused by their oil CO2. If they have NOT been taxed for those health care expenses yet, they should be NOW. If everyone move to EVs, UK will have less CO2 related health issue and that will make up for the absent of fuel tax.

 

[Rooster6655]

Bloomberg - Are you a robot?

I await the inevitable tax from the Government when loads of people have been persuaded to move over to EVs. Thoughts?

Its Bloomberg so it was always going to be Anti EV and its crappy articles like this that give MPs ideas.

EV's cost more so they get more money in VAT and electric still has VAT albeit 5%.

There will also be significant savings long term in health and medical care that can't be seen.

I don't think a country should necessarily be judged based on the revenues they take from duties, surely happy and healthier people would be a better country!

 

[kgfaith]

There will also be significant savings long term in health and medical care that can't be seen.

Exactly, if you are going to compare two things by counting money, don't forget to convert all pro and cons into money first. In that case, how much healthier and happier lives would worth? If you want to govern the country that's fine, just don't be stupid and short sighted.

 

[Durzel]

To be fair in a world of electric smart meters and various contracts priced by usage, the fact car tax is still done by engine size alone feels positively anachronistic.

That being said usage based taxation IS currently done by virtue of fuel tax, but since that doesn’t apply to EVs, and can’t so long as they can charge off the same electrical supply as the house (which therefore can’t be levied with a vehicle based excess), then something else will need to be done.

Only an idiot would think that they can just avoid the burden of road and fuel tax by going EV in perpetuity.

 

[Rooster6655]

Exactly, if you are going to compare two things by counting money, don't forget to convert all pro and cons into money first. In that case, how much healthier and happier lives would worth? If you want to govern the country that's fine, just don't be stupid and short sighted.

After all these duties go to fund things like the NHS anyway!

 

[phillcom3]

After all these duties go to fund things like the NHS anyway!

to fund the nhs for the mess-ups caused by having the things in the first place.

 

[ProfessorK]

Once we're fully renewable we'll lose the MASSIVE subsidies the government gives the fossil fuel sector (£10.5bn per annum - referenced by the IMF here) - that'll balance it out.

Also, tax the rich a little bit more (£150,000 per annum earners can afford a few hundred per year more in tax), stop the loopholes for overseas tax avoidance, force corporations to pay their tax for ALL income made in the country.

If the rich and the corporations paid their taxes we wouldn't pay much ourselves

 

[Rooster6655]

Also, tax the rich a little bit more (£150,000 per annum earners can afford a few hundred per year more in tax)

I'd agree but it seems that we all got hit with the luxury car tax because of something similar...

 

[ProfessorK]

I'd agree but it seems that we all got hit with the luxury car tax because of something similar...

oh definitely, agree there.

 

[tess19]

If you drive a car, I'll tax the street
If you try to sit, I'll tax your seat
If you get too cold, I'll tax the heat
If you take a walk, I'll tax your feet
'Cause I'm the taxman, yeah, I'm the taxman

They will also tax you when you die.

 

[pgkevet]

Also, tax the rich a little bit more (£150,000 per annum earners can afford a few hundred per year more in tax), ...

That's only 1% of taxpayers so a few hundred extra tax wouldn't make much difference and indeed currently that 1% provides 27% of all income tax. Itls other taxes that you rightly refer to that need adjusting - if you sell in the UK you pay tax in the UK, not finagling finances through subsidiaries in other countries. Indeed an argument for reducing corporation taxes and increasing vat on certaim types of goods - but then politics gets in the way (the trouble one would get doubling the vat on apple products, takeaway coffee, windows software and tat from china)