Drivers of electric vehicles reap a ton of benefits. They don’t have to pay taxes at the gas pump, they receive a federal tax credit worth thousands of dollars and cars such as the Nissan LEAF get the equivalent of 129 city MPG. Since electric vehicles don’t run on gas, their drivers are not contributing to the taxes that help to maintain the roads that they drive on. Lawmakers in Washington State decided to do something about this, as it seemed a bit unfair to them.
Some electric car drivers will now have to pay an annual tax of $100. Models include the hottest new thing on the block – the Tesla Model S. Others are exempt, including the Chevrolet Volt. Lawmakers thought it was about time for a fee to be set in motion, as gas taxes are the state’s most prominent source of transportation dollars. The average Washingtonian who drives 12,000 miles a year will pay just shy of $200 in gas taxes annually. So the $100 tax seems only fair.
However, advocates of electric vehicles are saying that the tax could discourage people from switching over to EVs. And that is obviously the opposite of what they want, considering they reduce our reliance on fossil fuels. What do you think about the $100 annual tax? Is now the time, or should we wait?