Why are we always being overcharged

[Juju03]

So I recently moved to South Carolina and was looking into the ad valorem tax, I probably should have researched before hand, my Tesla is going to cost $120 in registration for road fees! Why
Our cars do less damage to the roads compared to ICE leaking oil and who knows what else on to the roads. Why are they $40 to register competed to my Tess. To ad to it a friend of who also has a M3 got a letter from GA stating he own an alternative fuel tax which was $212! Why? Why are we always being charged extra for a clean less road destroying vehicle?

 

[Juju03]

 

[RC2785]

They have to find some way to get money from you since you don't pay taxes when buying gas anymore.

 

[ffhuang]

We’re paying more because gas tax pays for the road we drive in. They need an alternative way for us to pay and here we are.

 

[Plug it in]

$200/year in Ohio starting Jan. 1.

 

[EV-Tiger]

Before BEVs, you, me and everyone paid road taxes through the sate's tax on gasoline sales. Now that you own a BEV, you are still paying the state road tax, the difference is, you are paying the tax directly to the state.

 

[PoitNarf]

All cars cause wear and tear on road surfaces. I doubt ICE vehicles cause that much more damage than EVs to road surfaces. As the percentage of EVs increases states will need to figure out new ways to fund road maintenance since there will be less funds from gasoline taxes. It’s unavoidable.

 

[Knightshade]

All cars cause wear and tear on road surfaces. I doubt ICE vehicles cause that much more damage than EVs to road surfaces.

Arguably more, since weight does the most damage and EVs are usually heavier than comparable ICE cars.

I've done the math, even with the higher EV registration (that my states legislature just passed this year) I'll still pay significantly less per year for that than I used to in gas taxes.

 

[PoitNarf]

Arguably more, since weight does the most damage and EVs are usually heavier than comparable ICE cars.

I've done the math, even with the higher EV registration (that my states legislature just passed this year) I'll still pay significantly less per year for that than I used to in gas taxes.

Good point! Forgot about the weight aspect.

 

[dmurphy]

There's only a few reasons I'm proud to be from New Jersey ...

- Jersey Tomatoes rock
- Rutt's Hut
- No EV sales tax and a low ($84) registration fee
- Taylor Ham

3 out of the 4 revolve around food!

 

[StellarRat]

Most states don't charge the right users the right amount. Those 80,000 lb. semis going down the interstates cause literally 100s of times the damage of cars, but they sure don't pay hundreds of times the fees. We're all subsidizing the trucking industry.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Road damage, wear and tear is 95% caused by heavy trucks and busses.

A Tesla, traveling over a road does insignificant damage. No justification for burden of a road tax on them for existing roads.

Pretty much, they just want to tax everyone.

In most every community, more money is collected from vehicles than ends up spent on the roads. Most governments take this road tax money and redirect it into the politicians pet projects.

 

[brur]

ask a trucker about what they pay.

 

[Uncle Paul]

Truckers are heavily taxed as well. They routinely have their log books audited, their trucks weighed for fines etc.

Believe there is a shortage of long haul truckers right now. Tough job and you are away from home and families a lot.

 

[Daniel in SD]

Our cars have oil in the drivetrain just like ICE vehicles.

 

[ngogas]

Likely cause oil company owns the motor vehicle division. Lol

 

[StellarRat]

Truckers are heavily taxed as well. They routinely have their log books audited, their trucks weighed for fines etc.

Believe there is a shortage of long haul truckers right now. Tough job and you are away from home and families a lot.

I don't care what they're paying, it's not enough to truly cover the costs on the roads. Also, just a side note, although I understand that truckers have a hard job, etc... most of them are not independent anymore. They work for big trucking companies. Now, granted shipping cost might go up some if trucks had to pay fairly, but if you also consider that one of the reason the railroads are as big as the used to be is because the trucks took their business with subsidies from you and me things start to get a little murky. I can absolutely tell you that railroads produce far less pollution per ton mile and are cheaper per ton as well, but they've been reduced to main routes only by trucking industry.

 

[StellarRat]

Our cars have oil in the drivetrain just like ICE vehicles.

Yes, but it doesn't need to be replaced every 3000-7000 miles.

 

[Atari2600]

ask a trucker about what they pay.

And they still do more damage to the roads than what they pay... even if it is $40,000 a year in taxes.

 

[Daniel in SD]

Yes, but it doesn't need to be replaced every 3000-7000 miles.

More like 10,000 miles these days. I was making a joke about OPs claim that only ICE vehicles can leak oil on to the road. Teslas have all the same fluids as ICE vehicles (except gasoline of course!).
It does seem silly to tax EVs for road use and then also subsidize them with tax credits.