Illinois might start charging $1,000 per year to own an electric vehicle: 'It's outrageous'

[TexasTowelie]

A proposed hike in Illinois’ annual registration fee for electric vehicles, from $17.50 to $1,000, is being called unfair by current EV owners, and a sales disincentive by manufacturers — just as the new technology is beginning to gain broader traction.

“It’s outrageous,” said Nicoletta Skarlatos, 56, of Chicago, who bought a Tesla Model S five years ago. “I thought Illinois was progressive and would want to encourage EV ownership.”

Aimed at raising money to make overdue road improvements across Illinois, the proposed legislation would also more than double the state’s gas tax to 44 cents a gallon and raise the registration fee for standard vehicles to $148, from $98, among other elements.

But the kicker is a nearly 60-fold increase in the electric vehicle registration fee — one that is sure to cause sticker shock across a nascent segment of the auto industry, which has depended on government incentives to entice early adopters.

Read more: https://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-electric-vehicle-fee-illinois-20190509-story.html

[rusty quoin]

1. That's a way to kick people off renewables. They suck. They have always sucked.

[SunSeeker]

2. BAD idea. Sandoval needs to nix this asap.

So the justification for charging eectric vehicles almost 10 times what gas cars are charged is that EVs don’t provide the state with any gas tax revenue. Seriously? What's next, are they going to charge bicycle owners $1,000 yearly registration?

Our planet is burning up and we should be doing everything we can to encourage EV ownership. This does the opposite. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid.

Instead of a regressive gasoline tax hike, how about taxing the rich more?

[aka-chmeee]

3. Do they not use the same highways and roads as fossil fuel powered vehicles?

Do their owners merit an additional reward for buying electric? Fuel taxes are levied on the purchaser of a new vehicle every time he buys fuel thus helping pay for roads and the maintenance thereof. We all pay who use the roads through fuel taxes, even we who just pass through. Those government incentives mentioned as well are at the public's expense. Should electrics get to skate for free?
(Traveled through Ill. couple of years ago. Worst major roads I ever experienced - even the access ramps to rest areas and the parking areas there were positively hazardous to vehicles.) Perhaps a mandatory measurement instrument on the electric vehicle to determine charging activity and a usage tax equivalent to fuel tax calculated from that would be more acceptable to the electric vehicle owners (but I doubt it).

[MichMan]

4. She didn't have any problem taking the $7500 subsidy from other taxpayers, did she?

Buys a $80K Tesla, takes a $7500 subsidy and pays virtually nothing for the roads for the 5 years she has owned it. Now squeals because the state raises the registration fees for her expensive luxury vehicle that very few people can afford in the first place. Even with the increased fees, she will still be ahead

Sounds like someone that is all in favor of higher taxes for state services as long as it is someone else paying them.

[Sinistrous]

5. What he said.

[mwooldri]

6. Could do a mileage based registration charge for EV's.

Something equivalent to the gas tax...

But better yet IMO: make annual vehicle registration regardless of fuel be mileage dependent. Mileage needs to be reported every time a vehicle fuels up to dissuade under-reporting (could also be checked by inspector during an annual vehicle inspection). Those of limited means can pay for their registration as they go. Oh, and abolish all toll roads. Make this a nationwide thing, not just any one state.