Texas refuses to renew registration of Tesla M3 without emissions test

[Kevy Baby]

Ah, the DeLorean...that takes me back.

Way off topic, but back in 2015, we threw a Back to the Future party (October 15 was unfortunately a Wednesday, so we held it the following Saturday). We spent months planning for it. Since I work in print, I had a lot of signage made (including a sign when you walked in that was a recreation of the Twin Pines Mall sign that on the flip side was the same sign that was updated to Lone Pine Mall). My buddy used that as the opportunity to finally buy a DeLorean. We had a sequenced string of lights running down from the giant clock face we put up in a third story gable.

 

[jkdman123]

There *IS* a serious question about how we pay for highway maintenance. Today it's through gas taxes. And that makes sense. The more you drive the more you pay. And except for lawn-mowers and mobile generators, gasoline consumption translates directly into road use.

But imagine a world with a fully-electric auto fleet (I know not coming for a very long time... but use your imagination.) Taxing electricity won't cut it, people use electricity for a LOT of other things. How should we as a society equitably apportion the cost for road maintenance to EV drivers? In California, they add a couple hundred bucks to EV registrations. But it's the same fee for all EV's. What if you don't drive much... or you drive a lot, is a flat fee still the right answer? Would you trust Elon to report your miles driven to the DMV and then pay on a per-mile basis? Looking for ideas here, since as EV drivers we are the ones who will be most impacted.

It’s well known that the vast majority of wear and tear done to roads is from trucks, not cars. The EV fee tacked onto the registration is driven by lobbyists from big oil who are whispering doom and gloom into the politicians’ ears and advising them on setting it higher than what a typical driver would pay in gas tax on an ICE car.

 

[jkdman123]

I doesn’t make any sense to me that they exempt older cars. They are the ones that needed it more than the newer ones. I guess that’s why you see old cars on the road leaving a smoke screen behind them.

It’s harder for older cars to pass, which may require more work done to get them there. And even then, they may not be able to pass. Considering that most older cars are driven by poorer people who may not be able to afford a newer car, it could place an undue economic burden on them.

And also considering that as cars age past a certain point they drop out of use, they probably don’t statistically account for much pollution, so forcing them to be compliant is a waste of money.

Although I’m surprised the dealer lobby dirtbags haven’t pushed for ALL cars to be complaint with both safety and smog checks. In Japan, there isn’t much of a used car market (or wasn’t when I was there 20 years ago) because they have hardcore mandatory safety inspections that *every* car must pass regardless of age. The problem was that after a certain age, it may cost more to get your old car to pass inspection than just buying a brand new one. Military members were the only ones driving older used cars because we were exempt from a lot of the inspection requirements (which was evidence that most of them were bull****).

 

[Robie]

Just got my Registration renewal for my Model 3 at the DMV on Airport in Austin 9/17/20 . After having a Hold put on my Tesla , for Emissions test requirement . I had a reservation at the DMV . You line up out front , and are called in on your appt. time. In and out in 30 min. Hope this isn't an ongoing procedure from now on.

Yaba Daba Doo

 

[CyberGus]

Just got my Registration renewal for my Model 3 at the DMV on Airport in Austin 9/17/20 . After having a Hold put on my Tesla , for Emissions test requirement . I had a reservation at the DMV . You line up out front , and are called in on your appt. time. In and out in 30 min. Hope this isn't an ongoing procedure from now on.

I needed to replace my driver's license right at the onset of Covid, it was hilarious watching a crowded room try to social-distance. Lining up outside is an improvement.

For Austin visitors, do NOT go to Airport Blvd looking for the airport, it's not there

 

[RayK]

For Austin visitors, do NOT go to Airport Blvd looking for the airport, it's not there

But it is close. It's much closer than the Airport Home Appliance store in San Jose is to SJC.

 

[Transformer]

It’s well known that the vast majority of wear and tear done to roads is from trucks, not cars. The EV fee tacked onto the registration is driven by lobbyists from big oil who are whispering doom and gloom into the politicians’ ears and advising them on setting it higher than what a typical driver would pay in gas tax on an ICE car.

Good points. Still, there's also road construction.

Insurance companies could report annual mileage to the DMV for all vehicles.

What's nuts are fossil fuel subsidies.

 

[qingshan]

Knowing bureaucracy, it would be quicker to go get an emissions test. Have the tech lay the sniffer somewhere near the back of the car.

Like love on TV, pretend (usually)