The War on EVs: US House transport committee head wants to collect EV fees for highway repairs

[rmc523]

U.S. House Introduces Bill To Charge Electrified Vehicles Annual Fee

 

According to Reuters, the latest such effort comes to us in the form of bi-partisan legislation introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives, which would require EV owners to pay $130 annually for road repairs, and $35 for owners plug-in hybrids. That law also calls for a $5 annual increase to that fee each year starting in 2029, capping out at $150 for EVs and $50 for PHEVs. However, this isn't the first time lawmakers have attempted to pass this type of rule.

[akirby]

Oh good grief just ditch the gas tax and make everyone pay an annual registration fee.

[fuzzymoomoo]

8 minutes ago, akirby said:

Oh good grief just ditch the gas tax and make everyone pay an annual registration fee.

 

Nah, these are American politicians we’re talking about here. It needs to be as needlessly complicated and confusing as possible. 

[morgan20]

5 hours ago, fuzzymoomoo said:

Nah, these are American politicians we’re talking about here. It needs to be as needlessly complicated and confusing as possible. 

 

Yea, needlessly burdensome to future generations too. American politicians have refused to index the federal gasoline excise tax to inflation, resulting in Deficit Spending to support Road maintenance that we have today, as Biker16 mentioned earlier in this thread.

 

[fuzzymoomoo]

11 hours ago, morgan20 said:

 

Yea, needlessly burdensome to future generations too. American politicians have refused to index the federal gasoline excise tax to inflation, resulting in Deficit Spending to support Road maintenance that we have today, as Biker16 mentioned earlier in this thread.

 

something something selfish boomers something something 

[twintornados]

16 hours ago, akirby said:

Oh good grief just ditch the gas tax and make everyone pay an annual registration fee.

 

That would definitely level the "gas vs EV" playing field.  

 

ADD ON: With politicians talking about suspending the gas tax as a way of easing the pain at the pump, now would be an opportune time to implement it.   

Edited May 19 by twintornados

[rmc523]

1 hour ago, twintornados said:

 

That would definitely level the "gas vs EV" playing field.  

 

ADD ON: With politicians talking about suspending the gas tax as a way of easing the pain at the pump, now would be an opportune time to implement it.   

 

Nah, they'll need 87 years of new studies and data before forming a committee to discuss the possibility of doing something by 2137!

[Texasota]

2 hours ago, rmc523 said:

Nah, they'll need 87 years of new studies and data before forming a committee to discuss the possibility of doing something by 2137!

Yes, and that is to protect their political careers. Term limits is our only hope.

[BenKohnen]

On 3/19/2026 at 3:12 PM, DeluxeStang said:

So it really shouldn't be a powertrain tax, but a weight tax. Some EVs are super heavy, some aren't, same with every other vehicle. If you're scooting around in a vehicle that weighs 3,500 lbs and isn't doing much damage to the road, your tax should be much lower than someone driving a 6,500 lb vehicle regardless of what kind of powertrain it has. 

Coming into this a bit late, but reading from the beginning, this caught my eye. Wisconsin has an interesting structure:

Car plate - $85/year
Trucks are based on GVWR

Light truck A up to 4500lb - $100

Light truck B 4501-6000lb - $100 (FWIW, I don't "A plate" anything anymore, even Mavericks, there's no benefit)

Light truck C 6001-8000lb - $116.60

Heavy truck X 8001-10000lb - $170.50

Any hybrid vehicle has to add $75/year to the registration/plate renewal. So a Maverick Hybrid would be $175, an Escape Hybrid or plug-in PHEV would be $160.

Any fully electric vehicle has to add $175/year. So, a Mustang Mach-E would be $260.

Additionally, 14 of our 72 counties have an additional "wheel tax", and dozens of cities/villages/townships have their own as well.
Worst case, registering a Mustang Mach-E ($260) living in the City of Eau Claire ($50) in the County of Eau Claire ($30) brings us to the annual registration of $340.

Now, there's a loophole, kinda. Vehicles over 8000lb GVWR are exempt from not only county and municipal wheel taxes, but also from the hybrid/EV increase.

What's the GVWR of the F-150 Lightning? Somewhere between 8350lb and 8650lb. So, I "X-plate" every Lightning I've ever registered. The plates themselves are more per year, but they're technically and legally correct, and overall less per year to register.