Republicans in Congress introduced legislation this week that would tax electric vehicles, arguing that battery-powered cars and trucks need to help pay for the country’s roads.
Taxes on EVs are likely to be a hot topic this year as Republicans look for ways to offset other tax cuts and reduce spending. The Trump administration is also opposed to what it calls special treatment for electric cars.
EVs currently don’t pay into the federal Highway Trust Fund and are mostly exempt from state fuel taxes. A handful of states have imposed annual registration fees, and some are experimenting with so-called vehicle-miles-traveled (VMT) pricing.
The “FAIR Share Act” from Sens. Deb Fischer of Nebraska and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming would require a one-time tax of $1,000 for each EV sold and an extra $550 for vehicles with batteries that weigh over 1,000 pounds. Hybrid vehicles would be exempt.
