GeekEV said:
What I don't get is why all the mixed messages? Does the government want to encourage EVs or not? They're offering heavy subsidies because of the clean air benefits, reduced foreign oil dependence, etc., while at the same time wanting to slap them with extra taxes because they don't pay gasoline tax to help fund the roads. Why not just consider that another perk in promoting them? Or make that THE perk and do away with the credits and rebates...
Why does it have to make sense? Anyway, I'd imagine it's a combination of lobbying by Big Oil AND the fact that it's easier to impose something like this while there are only a handful of EV owners to complain about it. If they wait until there are thousands of people who are suddenly being hit with the fee, it will be a lot harder to do. Ultimately, they will have to replace obsolete gas tax monies, but face it, it will be quite some time before any EV tax adds up to serious revenue, and even longer before gasoline sales seriously decline.