The Washington Examiner reported that the bipartisan highway funding bill includes a surprise for electric vehicle owners.
Those owners could face a $130 annual fee with a $5 increase every two years until the fee hits $150 for electric vehicles and $50 for plug-in hybrids:
Section 1129. Registration fee on motor vehicles.This section requires the Administrator of the Federal Highway Administration to impose an annual registration fee to be collected by each state of $130 for a covered electric vehicle (EV) and $35 for a covered plug-in hybrid vehicle. Beginning in 2029, the Administrator is required to biennially increase both fee amounts by $5, stipulating that the fee for covered EVs will not exceed $150 and the fee for covered plug-in hybrids will not exceed $50. To ensure compliance with the requirements of this section, the Administrator is directed to withhold an amount equal to 125 percent of the amount owed from the state’s highway apportionment if a state does not comply.
“The bill also strengthens the Highway Trust Fund by ensuring all highway users pay their share for the use and improvement of the nation’s roads,” the Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure wrote in its press release. “As a result, the BUILD America 250 Act injects the Highway Trust Fund with its first new stream of revenue for infrastructure in over three decades.”
Apparently, electric vehicles hinder the government’s ability to make money:
Infrastructure experts have long warned that the increased use of electric vehicles could severely deplete funding for the nation’s roads and bridges. That’s because the federal government funds upkeep for infrastructure projects through the federal gas tax — 18.4 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24.4 cents per gallon for diesel.Critics of electric vehicles have long argued that their owners use the nation’s roads and bridges, but don’t pay for the upkeep.
Remember, this is bipartisan. Yes, even the Democrats are okay with it.
“You can’t have a big-league economy with little-league infrastructure,” said Committee Ranking Member Rick Larsen (D-WA). “The BUILD America 250 Act makes key investments in the nation’s transportation – from restoring aging bridges and repairing crumbling roads to building out safe, accessible transit and bike infrastructure. A commitment to bipartisan lawmaking means finding compromise; while this bill does not include every priority, I am committed to building on the last bipartisan infrastructure law by creating good-paying transportation jobs, growing the economy and safely transporting people and goods across the country by road and rail. Thank you to Chairman Graves for his partnership. I look forward to marking up this bill soon.”
Amazing.
Electric vehicle owners in Illinois already pay $100 more for a standard vehicle registration, which is $151.
The Democrats want them to pay a $320 surcharge. That means the EV owners would pay $471 per year in Illinois.
I’ll stick with my 100% gas-powered Toyota 4Runner.
Here’s a report from North Carolina. The states already get to you. Here comes Uncle Sam!
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