US authorities are considering introducing additional payments for electric vehicle owners. A new bill may appear as early as April, according to the House of Representatives.
The initiative is related to the fact that road maintenance is traditionally financed by taxes on gasoline and diesel. However, electric car owners do not actually participate in these fees, which Congress considers a problem.
According to Reuters, the House Transportation Committee, led by Sam Graves, is preparing a new five-year transportation infrastructure law with a total budget of $500–550 billion. As part of the discussion, it is planned to include mechanisms to obtain additional funds from electric vehicle owners.
Among the proposals is an annual fee of about $250 or a one-time payment of up to $1,000 when buying an electric car. The final version has not yet been determined.
The initiative has sparked controversy, as the federal fuel tax has not been revised for more than 30 years. At the same time, the average American pays about $88 per year in fuel taxes.
Experts note that electric vehicles are becoming a convenient target for new fees, especially against the backdrop of rising cost of living and ahead of elections. At the same time, it is possible that similar measures may extend to hybrid vehicles as well.
