Virginia to charge Hybrid, EV and PHEV owners $100 fee.

[Taylorjd]

Does this make sense? Virginia votes to remove gas taxes, increase the sales on food and goods AND then they go and charge Hybrid, PHEV and EV owners $100 yearly fee. So those who have their rich, gas burning, polluting cars pay less, and those who can't afford today's prices, have to pay more for food and goods that they need. And while most of the US is trying to encourage the move to less dependence on oil and increase use of EV, PHEVs, Virginia want to discourage them. Can you say "We love Big Oil"?

Should we in other states care? YES, other states (where big oil has an influence) are looking at it too!

 

What the heck! 

 

Some protested, more should. Read more:

http://www.wtop.com/41/3214136/Hybrid-car-owners-protest-McDonnells-proposed-fee 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/20/virginia-hybrid-fees_n_2727142.html 

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2013/02/va-20130224.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+greencarcongress%2FTrBK+(Green+Car+Congress)

 

PS: I am not usually one to complain, but REALLY?. I will post this on Blue Oval too. 

 

 

[efudd]

This has been coming for quite some time, and I'd expect more States to follow.  As vehicles become more efficient, State transportation funding revenue is falling since State transportation/infrastructure funds generally come from the tax at the pump.  More emphasis is being placed on usage.  There are pilot programs utilizing GPS and Odometer readings for transportation funding taxes.  Odometer readings are difficult, because it doesn't guarantee vehicle usage in the State doing the taxing.  GPS readings are more accurate, but more intrusive.  Adding on an efficiency charge to the annual registration is the simplest method for the States right now...  

 

[Taylorjd]

Yes, but this one is not based on MPG, and removes the gas tax for everyone, then charges $100 to EV, PHEV, Hybrids owners. I also think it is not yet the time, we need to still encourage the move off oil, not punish it. 

[efudd]

Actually, with the new VA bill, the gas tax is still there, just a little slight of hand. The bill removes the 18 cent/gal gas tax, but adds State sales tax on the wholesale price of gas bought by the station. This way, tax revenue can increase with the price of oil. You're still paying the tax, it's just a little upstream from the pump handle.

Edited February 26, 2013 at 12:47 PM by efudd

[Taylorjd]

Actually, with the new VA bill, the gas tax is still there, just a little slight of hand. The bill removes the 1 cent/gal gas tax, but adds State sales tax on the wholesale price of gas bought by the station. This way, tax revenue can increase with the price of oil. You're still paying the tax, it's just a little upstream from the pump handle.

 

Washington Post reports "Assembly’s new transportation bill would eliminate the state’s existing tax at the pump, worth 17.5 cents per gallon, and replace it with an array of sales taxes." see: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/wonkblog/wp/2013/02/25/virginia-has-a-novel-plan-to-replace-the-gas-tax-but-theres-one-big-flaw/ 

[http]

According to the WaPo, the VA Assembly reduced the extra $100 to $64.

[Taylorjd]

I hear that someone is running with the pledge to remove that $64. Seems like someone is listening.

[jeff_h]

I hear that someone is running with the pledge to remove that $64. Seems like someone is listening.

 

I already paid it a few months ago when I renewed registration for a year... won't hold my breath to see it returned.

[meyersnole]

It will not surprise me when this shows up in NC. We already have our legislature looking at banning Tesla's because they don't follow the normal dealer model.

 

I can see where this makes sense for the future if this type of vehicle becomes more mainstream, but it seems too early as we are still in an adoption period.

[FusionEnergi]

I already paid it a few months ago when I renewed registration for a year... won't hold my breath to see it returned.

 

Good news you may get your money back.

I no longer can copy and paste links on this site for some reason, so do a web search on Virginia hybrid tax.

Roanoke.com, greencarreports, businessweek, and washingtonpost all mention it.

[jeff_h]

Good news you may get your money back.

I no longer can copy and paste links on this site for some reason, so do a web search on Virginia hybrid tax.

Roanoke.com, greencarreports, businessweek, and washingtonpost all mention it.

 

Yeah I had two friends from the hybrid forum send me that story in email today... I've already paid it for two vehicles, will be nice to get it back, time will tell...

[FusionEnergi]

Effective 1 July 2014 the bill has been thrown out, which began 1 July 2013. Unfortunately I was due renewal in June and would still have had to pay even If I paid late in July. If you paid once you will not have to pay again and not get a refund. If you paid for more than one year you will get a rebate for the other years.

[Hybridbear]

MN already penalizes drivers of hybrids, PHEVs and BEVs in a different way. Our yearly registration tax goes to fund transportation costs and is based on vehicle MSRP. The higher the vehicle MSRP the higher your yearly tax. The Energi will cost almost $100 per year more than the hybrid since the 2013 Energi had such a high MSRP. The Focus Electric also costs over $400 per year for license plates because the 2013 Focus Electric had an inflated MSRP that was reduced for 2014 models. I wish the federal government would raise the gas tax. Raising gas taxes are one way to encourage drivers to buy fuel efficient vehicles.

[Russael]

Raising gas taxes are one way to encourage drivers to buy fuel efficient vehicles.

 

Or is a great way to promote inflation or riots too. :)  Bear in mind, LOTS of truck transportation would wind up having to eat huge costs if gas prices went up, which would in turn drive shipping prices up, which would then be passed on to the consumer.  For people who drive huge vehicles just for day to day transportation and never use them for what they were intended, then yeah, hit those people.  I would be one since my Expedition is a gas guzzler... and for the most part, now collects dust unless I go on vacation, or if I need to move something that won't fit in the car (and that's far more rare than I expected).

 

The only way to isolate people who drive vehicles that use far more gas than needed to go from point A to point B would be to hit them on their license plate renewal.  That way you individualize the penalty.  V8 cars sound great, have incredible amounts of power nowadays, and they get better efficiency (some can hit 25MPG highway which isn't awful for cars making over 400HP under the hood).  But a V6 can produce WAY more power than my old Expo can.  Factory spec had it at 260HP for the 2V 5.4L (which I'm sure is around 234 - 240 now due to the ethanol), and you can go buy an F150 with a 2.7L V6 that does 325... HALF the displacement of my truck (and yes, I've been watching that new motor very closely... can't wait for fuel economy numbers to be published).  A V8 in a car isn't a need.  It's a want. :)  So to penalize them, hit them on their tabs.  Granted, doing that makes it a flat fee and doesn't account for miles driven, but at least you wouldn't punish everybody, especially those who need the big vehicle.

 

I do admit though... my truck plates are 152 a year, and my friggin car is 191.  :baby:  At least I drive on a significantly cheaper fuel, which offsets that cost by a lot.

[Hybridbear]

Bear in mind, LOTS of truck transportation would wind up having to eat huge costs if gas prices went up, which would in turn drive shipping prices up, which would then be passed on to the consumer.  For people who drive huge vehicles just for day to day transportation and never use them for what they were intended, then yeah, hit those people.

They would be affected by gas taxes on diesel more than gas taxes on regular gas though, right? Raising taxes on regular gas would only affect the businesses using gas cars. And it should encourage fleet operators to look more at EVs and PHEVs. Some fleets have made the transition unsuccessfully because they've continued to reimburse employees for gas while not reimbursing for electricity creating no incentive to plug in.

[Russael]

They would be affected by gas taxes on diesel more than gas taxes on regular gas though, right? Raising taxes on regular gas would only affect the businesses using gas cars. And it should encourage fleet operators to look more at EVs and PHEVs. Some fleets have made the transition unsuccessfully because they've continued to reimburse employees for gas while not reimbursing for electricity creating no incentive to plug in.

 

Maybe, but the F150 is America's number one selling vehicle, and they're all gas.  I don't have the statistics to show the difference between fleet and the other models sold (to show relatively how many trucks a business buys vs what a regular customer would purchase).  I know 1 person at the office that has an F150 uses it a lot for hauling items, etc.

 

Ford did trial that Ford Transit Connect EV for businesses only... no idea how that turned out though.  Sadly, it is no longer available (stopped production in 2012).