State based EV road user charge (Overturned 18/10/23)

[jamesgo]

Speaking of SA...
Electric car owners to pay road user charges in SA from 2021

Mr Lucas said while it was only a small measure on revenue, introducing a road user charge for electric vehicles was an important step in ensuring that all users made a contribution to road funding. The state wil be a pioneer in Australia.
"Someone needs to take the lead,'' Mr Lucas said. "Now's the time to bite the bullet and introduce reform.
"There's great logic to it,'' he said.
The size of the charges, to be introduced on July 1, 2021, is still to be formulated.

The budget papers show that the initial structure of the road user charge would comprise a fixed charge plus a distance travelled charge.

Victorian Budget is tonight, so i'll be interesting to see if Victoria has a similar concept.

 

[PC__LoadLetter]

Pardon me while I re-register my car in the ACT ;-)

 

[paulp]

Speaking of SA...
Electric car owners to pay road user charges in SA from 2021

Mr Lucas said while it was only a small measure on revenue, introducing a road user charge for electric vehicles was an important step in ensuring that all users made a contribution to road funding. The state wil be a pioneer in Australia.
"Someone needs to take the lead,'' Mr Lucas said. "Now's the time to bite the bullet and introduce reform.
"There's great logic to it,'' he said.
The size of the charges, to be introduced on July 1, 2021, is still to be formulated.

The budget papers show that the initial structure of the road user charge would comprise a fixed charge plus a distance travelled charge.

Victorian Budget is tonight, so i'll be interesting to see if Victoria has a similar concept.

Its concerning when politicians think they are pioneers by introducing a new tax.
But I guess its an innevitable. I presume it will be in the form of additional registration

 

[paulp]

Pardon me while I re-register my car in the ACT ;-)

SA Law requires any vehicle in the state longer than (for memory) 2 months to be registered in SA. Police can ask for proof of residency.

 

[PC__LoadLetter]

SA Law requires any vehicle in the state longer than (for memory) 2 months to be registered in SA. Police can ask for proof of residency.

Six or seven road trips a year to some spot just past Pinnaroo or Renmark perhaps? Is there somewhere you can grab lunch in Murrayville? Keep an accommodation or meal receipt.

 

[paulp]

Six or seven road trips a year to some spot just past Pinnaroo or Renmark perhaps? Is there somewhere you can grab lunch in Murrayville? Keep an accommodation or meal receipt.

Yes that works. I generally fly to melb at least once a month so easy to get some reciepts.
Maybe my victorian registered company could own it and I rent it off them. There is no time limit on rental vehicles.
I’ve expressed my concerns to my local MP about the governments lack of environmental foresight.

 

[cafz]

How does the administration of a per-kilometre charge work - do you have to provide your current odometer reading every time you renew your rego?

 

[possum22]

Speaking of SA...
Electric car owners to pay road user charges in SA from 2021

Mr Lucas said while it was only a small measure on revenue, introducing a road user charge for electric vehicles was an important step in ensuring that all users made a contribution to road funding. The state wil be a pioneer in Australia.
"Someone needs to take the lead,'' Mr Lucas said. "Now's the time to bite the bullet and introduce reform.
"There's great logic to it,'' he said.
The size of the charges, to be introduced on July 1, 2021, is still to be formulated.

It should apply to all vehicles, as newer cars are getting more efficient, getting less fuel excise from the federal government.

 

[ItsNotAboutTheMoney]

Its concerning when politicians think they are pioneers by introducing a new tax.
But I guess its an innevitable. I presume it will be in the form of additional registration

There are a lot of American EV owners who wish they had politicians thinking about distance-based fees.

 

[meowsers]

I

How does the administration of a per-kilometre charge work - do you have to provide your current odometer reading every time you renew your rego?

I won't be paying this fee if introduced in Vic. Happy to register the vehicle in another state, or flat out not keep a logbook. I find it counter to the implementation of a sustainable environmental policy.

 

[Craig 128]

It should apply to all vehicles, as newer cars are getting more efficient, getting less fuel excise from the federal government.

Exactly.

It seems quite convoluted - certainly not thought out.

Budget Paper 1, Page 26:

The government is intending to introduce a road user charge for plug-in electric and zero emission vehicles. The charge will include a fixed component (similar to current registration charging) and a variable charge based on distance travelled. Electric vehicles do not attract fuel excise and therefore make a lower contribution to the cost of maintaining our road network. The proposed road user charge will ensure road maintenance funding is sustainable into the future.

I wonder if that includes or excludes PHEVs?

If it excludes PHEVs, you could buy one and run mostly on Electric power and fly under the radar.

If it includes PHEVs, do you pay Electric Tax on the kilometres for the year AND fuel excise on every litre of fuel you pump into it? Or do you have to keep a log book on your electric miles vs petrol miles?

 

[jamesgo]

Victorian Budget is tonight, so i'll be interesting to see if Victoria has a similar concept.

Sorry.. the Vic Budget got moved, it's now Nov 24th

 

[Candleflame]

I


I won't be paying this fee if introduced in Vic. Happy to register the vehicle in another state, or flat out not keep a logbook. I find it counter to the implementation of a sustainable environmental policy.

are you allowed to do that though? I always thought you have to register in the state you live in. The only exception to this is afaik the ACT which only requires a garaging adress which can technically even be abroad afaik.

 

[cafz]

The government is intending to introduce a road user charge for plug-in electric and zero emission vehicles. The charge will include a fixed component (similar to current registration charging) and a variable charge based on distance travelled. Electric vehicles do not attract fuel excise and therefore make a lower contribution to the cost of maintaining our road network. The proposed road user charge will ensure road maintenance funding is sustainable into the future.

It doesn't even make sense on its own terms - if it's supposed to substitute for fuel excise then it should be entirely distance-based, the fixed component is unjustified.

 

[paulp]

It doesn't even make sense on its own terms - if it's supposed to substitute for fuel excise then it should be entirely distance-based, the fixed component is unjustified.

Isnt fuel excise a federal tax? If so does this imply thats the feds and states have all done a deal that will be rolled out as each state does its budget?

 

[Craig 128]

Isnt fuel excise a federal tax? If so does this imply thats the feds and states have all done a deal that will be rolled out as each state does its budget?

Correct, Fuel excise is a Federal tax.

But if all the states and the fed was on board, wouldn't you just reform fuel excise (abolish it) and introduce a distanced base fee at a state level.

Or if you were even more radical, abolish state based registration and introduce a single federal registration scheme. (It has been talked about for some time and makes sense for trucks that have national heavy vehicle plates)

 

[Craig 128]

It doesn't even make sense on its own terms - if it's supposed to substitute for fuel excise then it should be entirely distance-based, the fixed component is unjustified.

It doesn't, does it. You would think the Liberal government is specifically targeting Electric Vehicles......, but then on the other hand they announce plans to roll out an extensive EV charging network and electrify the government fleet....

 

[paulp]

It doesn't, does it. You would think the Liberal government is specifically targeting Electric Vehicles......, but then on the other hand they announce plans to roll out an extensive EV charging network and electrify the government fleet....

They also cancelled the fossil fuel car race this week, so a very confusing message

 

[paulp]

Correct, Fuel excise is a Federal tax.

But if all the states and the fed was on board, wouldn't you just reform fuel excise (abolish it) and introduce a distanced base fee at a state level.

Or if you were even more radical, abolish state based registration and introduce a single federal registration scheme. (It has been talked about for some time and makes sense for trucks that have national heavy vehicle plates)

A national uniform set of road rules would be nice too

 

[jamesgo]

Pretty smart... help get EV chargers spread out across the state... advertise widely that there are new chargers coming... quietly put in per km EV taxes (i'm thinking there won't be much media coverage of this)... sit back and cash in