Bipartisan Bill Would Impose New Annual Fee on Electric Vehicles
A House transportation bill introduced this week would require owners of electric cars to pay $130 to cover the cost of road repairs.
www.nytimes.comA bipartisan U.S. House transportation bill would mandate owners of electric vehicles to pay a $130 annual fee to support road repairs, and would charge certain plug-in hybrids $35 a year, as part of the BUILD America 250 Act. It aims to replace federal highway funding that currently relies on fuel taxes. Backers say the measure would fund highways and bridges, while critics caution about burdens on EV drivers. Sen. Graves and Ranking Member Rick Larsen describe the BUILD America 250 Act as designed to do what Congress has struggled to do for years. Details include a new annual EV fee and a $35 plug-in hybrid fee, to bolstering roads, bridges, and the trust fund. Supporters of the bill frame it as necessary reform, opponents stress timing and potential impacts on consumers.