Michigan Slams EVs again with new fees

[ArtC]

Washington has an EV "gas tax" for road maintenance in the form of a $150 (for 2017) annual vehicle renewal fee. (Was $100 last year). Ah well, I don't gripe too much as I want the roads maintained too. BTW, the WA gas tax with up 10% to 49.4 cents/gal so ICE cars are paying more too. I just hope they actually FIX THE **#%Y ROADS here with this money!

When did WA institute the EV tax?

 

[artsci]

The problem I have with EV taxes, is the false pretense that it is a reasonable effort to make things equivalent or fair.

I'm fine with the EV "gas" tax as soon as, and note this is not even a tax but a subsidy elimination, ICE start paying even one fee to neutralize their human health or environmental impacts. Such as...asthma mitigation cost nuetralization, or particulate reduction reimbursement.

That's why we need an across the board carbon tax.

 

[Evbwcaer]

That's why we need an across the board carbon tax.

Totally agree, with the concept. But why are you saying "tax?"
It's not just a semantic difference. In the huge struggle regarding public perceptions regarding pollution/climate change/environment it could be vital.

Really, aren't we just asking for fossil fuel users to not dump their costs on everybody else? That is not a tax, that is neutral, normal, breaking even.

If you want to dump pollution into everybody else's world, fine, you just have to clean it up......hardly a tax, more like the free market, and the free market is something a lot more people like than taxes.

I give to you...drumroll...."Carbon Subsidy Reimbursement."

To legitimize my point, I would be fine with EV and green energy subsidies being eliminated as long as the CSR is
a realistic amount.

 

[Pollux]

Michigan vehicle registration will soon go up by 20 percent (Detroit Free Press)

More of Michigan's anti-EV bias. Pathetic.

"Electric vehicles, or cars that are not capable of using gasoline and other traditional fuels, will be subject to an annual $100 surcharge, in addition to a $35 gasoline tax."

(Tried to post this in the "News" section, but I have "insufficient privileges" to do that.)

What the heck is a "$35 gasoline tax"? What does it mean for an EV?

Thanks,
Alan

 

[Bridor]

I disagree. Until all cars on the road are electric, we need to penalize drivers of gasoline vehicles. The oil industry subsidies are actually far more than the electric car subsidies. I like the idea of increasing the gasoline taxes for federal and state across the board so that it is expensive to drive an oil burner. We have to take drastic measures to get people in this country to move out of the current mindset. We are pioneers in this brand new electric vehicle age - we should not be punished for leading the way.

 

[gearchruncher]

When did WA institute the EV tax?

February 2013.

 

[Lloyd]

Michigan vehicle registration will soon go up by 20 percent (Detroit Free Press)

More of Michigan's anti-EV bias. Pathetic.

"Electric vehicles, or cars that are not capable of using gasoline and other traditional fuels, will be subject to an annual $100 surcharge, in addition to a $35 gasoline tax."

(Tried to post this in the "News" section, but I have "insufficient privileges" to do that.)

This is almost identical to what was adopted in California to make up for the loss is gas and road taxes!

 

[bob_p]

Seems inevitable that EV fees will be imposed to compensate for the loss of fuel taxes, which helps fund road construction.

It should still be cheaper than buying gas in the long run...

 

[jbcarioca]

Taxes are never terribly logical, but typically they are set to charge as much as possible from people who are least politically powerful. Michigan is no different except for teh propensity to impose them at midnight on dark nights.
I have yet to complain about a car tax, not even when a BMX X1 here in Brazil cost me roughy $60,000. EV road tax really does not bother me too much, but I'd prefer to see subsidies for ICE's eliminated.

Viva Norway!!

 

[freeewilly]

Raise fee on EV is inevitable, even in California.
EV has to pay its fair share to repair and maintain the road, huge fund is coming from tax on gas.

 

[RDoc]

There is the argument that highways have to be built and are subject to environment damage both of which are independent of vehicles, so there does have to be some kind of charge per vehicle even if it's only used very rarely. Just having the highways available incurs a significant cost. It's like being charged for the superchargers even if you only use them once a year. There's a cost just to have them exist.

Having said that though, AFAIK the majority of costs is caused by damage from heavy trucking, particularly overloaded trucks. If states were serious about allocating highway costs and minimizing them, if would be fairer to charge trucks much more and to seriously enforce weight limits. Apparently damage to highways goes up with the 4th power of axle load!

 

[green1]

Having said that though, AFAIK the majority of costs is caused by damage from heavy trucking, particularly overloaded trucks. If states were serious about allocating highway costs and minimizing them, if would be fairer to charge trucks much more and to seriously enforce weight limits. Apparently damage to highways goes up with the 4th power of axle load!

Rail transport should be much cheaper for long haul transport of goods than highways (more fuel efficient per unit of weight, fewer people moving more goods (and easier to automate going forward). Unfortunately though you see so many big trucks on the highways because it's not. The reason it's not is that the highways are subsidized for the trucks by the cars and general tax revenue, whereas the rails are not.
Unfortunately, no politician wants to be seen as killing the trucking industry, so this is unlikely to change. As a result, cars and taxpayers will always pay way more than their fair share of the costs of highway maintenance.

 

[RDoc]

Rail transport should be much cheaper for long haul transport of goods than highways (more fuel efficient per unit of weight, fewer people moving more goods (and easier to automate going forward). Unfortunately though you see so many big trucks on the highways because it's not. The reason it's not is that the highways are subsidized for the trucks by the cars and general tax revenue, whereas the rails are not.
Unfortunately, no politician wants to be seen as killing the trucking industry, so this is unlikely to change. As a result, cars and taxpayers will always pay way more than their fair share of the costs of highway maintenance.

Yes, the numbers I've seen suggests that trucks, assuming they aren't overloaded, should pay about 3 times what they do now.

 

[abasile]

Unfortunately, no politician wants to be seen as killing the trucking industry, so this is unlikely to change. As a result, cars and taxpayers will always pay way more than their fair share of the costs of highway maintenance.

The biggest "threat" to trucking jobs is going to be automation, in the not too distant future. Self-driving systems don't need breaks to rest and will save their operators a lot of money. Once truck drivers are replaced by machines, it may become politically feasible to increase road taxes for trucks.

 

[Tribaltech]

Michigan vehicle registration will soon go up by 20 percent (Detroit Free Press)

More of Michigan's anti-EV bias. Pathetic.

"Electric vehicles, or cars that are not capable of using gasoline and other traditional fuels, will be subject to an annual $100 surcharge, in addition to a $35 gasoline tax."

(Tried to post this in the "News" section, but I have "insufficient privileges" to do that.)

Yup Michigan's Gov. Rick Snyder the corporate monster that he is, I am not surprised to see how he continues to shamelessly be in bed with the Detroit Auto Manufacturers. It is shameful in so many ways how my state keeps going backward instead of more progressive and forward. While other states give additional tax credits on EVs, Michigan gives none. And then to see registration bill show up upwards of $500 felt like a slap in the face. Charging more for EV's just seems like a blatant punishment for those who try to do the right thing. And to see him sing praises for himself yesterday in the State of the State address made me sick. How do these people live with themselves?