HEV transportation electrification fee in WA state

[JBryant]

Don't know when it's coming but annual vehicle inspections require the mileage in TEXAS so the gasoline tax will not be replaced due to federal $$ is tied to it. There will be a milage tax soon possibly with different rates for gas/phev/& electric vehicles (would it be called "kw tax"?) in Texas. Remember from day ONE in the USA every following day is a new day to live in. While in Jr high we got a tv and I had to learn how to test it's tubes at the drug store. Wonderful pager came out in high school which freed me up from staying home waiting for my "come to work" on call job. My first 8-5 job (age 12) which I was grateful to have paid $12.50/week plus lunch. It was not a slave job as I had personal time and did not have to go to day care and my friends who stayed home only had $2-$5 weekly allowance. Fast forward to today. Gas is apparently on way out sooner than we would like or is it that in the current "civilization" we have lost the knowledge of the propulsion system of the flying carpet. There are uncountable electrons everywhere and we need them where we want them. Someone will turn that spigot on soon, I think!

Saddens me to have to agree with you completely. Crazy world we live in. Let's enjoy it while we can.

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[BILLNOROVILLE]

My 1 year renewal at DMV in California on my basic XLT hybrid with only hitch option was 340.00.

Can't find the breakdown sheet. Doesn't matter, you pay or you don't drive. The more your pay for the vehicle the higher the DMV fees when you start off. Then each year some of the fees are reduced. Maybe 20.00 cheaper next time around.

 

[MostlySafeBear]

It seems messed up that the government has been pushing for increased vehicle efficiency for many years, but at the same time, they also complain that more efficient vehicles deprive them of road maintenance funds, so they charge more efficient vehicle drivers fees to offset the lost income.

A fee per mile traveled would technically be more fair, with a multiplier based on how much damage your vehicle does to the roadway, irrespective of its efficiency, but that has its own considerations.

 

[atomguy245]

It seems messed up that the government has been pushing for increased vehicle efficiency for many years, but at the same time, they also complain that more efficient vehicles deprive them of road maintenance funds, so they charge more efficient vehicle drivers fees to offset the lost income.

A fee per mile traveled would technically be more fair, with a multiplier based on how much damage your vehicle does to the roadway, irrespective of its efficiency, but that has its own considerations.

Yup. The same thing has happened with my local utility. For years they have been promoting energy efficiency in homes, and funding programs to help with that, but now they are crying about the lost revenue due to energy efficiency, and say they need to raise rates.

 

[FischAutoTechGarten]

Well hybrids use less gas... and gas taxes pay for roads.... but hybrids don't use less road.... gottsa to pay for it all somehow.....

 

[Lexx]

They should. I am just laughing at they way it's worded. It's like if they wanted to encourage motherhood, then passed a $500 per birth tax.

My state (blue state CT) actually charges a LOWER registration fee to EVs, and the same registration for hybrids as for regular ICE vehicles. CT gets you in other ways: high electricity rates, and annual property tax on vehicles. My Maverick will probably cost me about $850 in property tax next summer. And another $850 or so for my Bolt EV

Bloody hell

 

[atomguy245]

Bloody hell

Yeah, what's fun is that they charge the vehicle property tax on the book value, so everyone driving an old vehicle had their property tax go UP this last summer.

 

[Brown0]

RCW 46.17.324: https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.17.324

" To realize the environmental benefits of electrification of the transportation system it is necessary to support the adoption of electric vehicles and other electric technology in the state by incentivizing the purchase of these vehicles, building out the charging infrastructure, developing greener transit options, and supporting clean alternative fuel infrastructure. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to support these activities through the imposition of new transportation electrification fees in this section. "

This is awesome. How someone didn't shoot this language down, I'd have no idea. I understand the what and why this is supposed to do. I work in the field. However, here's how I read through the BS:

... to support the adoption of electric vehicles and ... incentiviz[e] the purchase of these vehicles ... [we will] support these activities through the imposition of new ... fees ..."

 

[donMiguel]

I generally try to avoid waking the dead... but there are exceptions.

I just got my tab renewals, which led me to read the legislation imposing the Transportation Electrification Fee in WA.

Quoted below, the RCW requires both "reenergized by an external source of electricity" and "capable of traveling at least thirty miles using only battery power." The Maverick Hybrid fails both criteria, yet I, same as OP, have been billed the Electrification Fee.

Has anyone in WA pursued this issue? And received a cogent explanation for the fee being charged? Before I take a running charge at this wall...

RCW 46.17.324​

​

Transportation electrification fee.​

​

To realize the environmental benefits of electrification of the transportation system it is necessary to support the adoption of electric vehicles and other electric technology in the state by incentivizing the purchase of these vehicles, building out the charging infrastructure, developing greener transit options, and supporting clean alternative fuel infrastructure. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to support these activities through the imposition of new transportation electrification fees in this section.​

​

(1) A vehicle that both (a) uses at least one method of propulsion that is capable of being reenergized by an external source of electricity and (b) is capable of traveling at least thirty miles using only battery power, is subject to an annual seventy-five dollar transportation electrification fee to be collected by the department, county auditor, or other agent or subagent appointed by the director, in addition to any other fees and taxes required by law. For administrative efficiencies, the transportation electrification fee must be collected at the same time as vehicle registration renewals and may only be collected for vehicles that are renewing an annual vehicle registration.
​

 

[Pointyears]

Thank God for Texas. Love the fact my Kia Hybrid does not cause a fee to be charged. When my Maverick Hybrid comes in, it will be the same. The thought of this drives me crazy. I guess we should say welcome to the new world we live in.

One of the reasons diesel is so expensive compared to gasoline is because diesel vehicles are generally heavier and thus cause more damage. Even in Texas, so this isn't really a "new world."

 

[MaverickDragon]

RCW 46.17.324: https://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.17.324

" To realize the environmental benefits of electrification of the transportation system it is necessary to support the adoption of electric vehicles and other electric technology in the state by incentivizing the purchase of these vehicles, building out the charging infrastructure, developing greener transit options, and supporting clean alternative fuel infrastructure. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to support these activities through the imposition of new transportation electrification fees in this section. "

Translation:
Those who can't afford an EV due their ridiculously high prices need to subsidize the costs of providing charging stations for those who can afford an EV and actually use them.

Short version: We're taking your money. It's the green new deal. Your green, our deal.
The charges aren't for the roads you use, the fees are for the charging infrastructure you don't use.

 

[mrjspence]

CO charges us essentially property tax for vehicle registration, based on MSRP, weight, year, and a few other things. No hybrid but BEV fees, $50 flat. Ours was just under $900.

Also, we’ve been subsidizing big oil for decades at the pump. So the argument that these fuel saving cars being charged for lost revenue for infrastructure due to not buying gasoline is void… How about for every EV or fuel efficient car we adopt, we lessen those subsidies to big oil and put it back into our federal and local infrastructure piggy bank. Fuel efficient owners are subsidizing big oil through their taxes even though they aren’t using gas. Every country but ours… again.

 

[710-oil-614]

I found out that light duty trucks are exempt from the hybrid electric vehicle fee in Ohio, which is very nice!

 

[REDRUM]

Just another reason to continue to buy gas vehicles.

 

[Prickly Pear]

Yes, funny wording indeed! Half the time it does not appear like they read the crap that is put in writing. Maybe they had AI do it!!

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