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[ultrarnr]

I live in North Carolina and just received the renewal for the registration on my Zero SR. It says that no state vehicle inspection is required. Not sure how much sense this makes but just wondering if any other states out there don't require a state vehicle inpsection for an electric motorcycle.  There is also a $100.00 electric vehicle fee included and have no idea what that is about. Searching on the NC DMV web site provides no answers to either question here.

[Richard230]

In California there is, and has never been, any state-required inspection of two or three-wheeled vehicles.  And the only required inspection for private cars is a smog equipment inspection and test every other year for cars more than 4 years old.

My guess about the $100 EV fee that you are charged is that it is probably an attempt to hit you up for state road maintenance taxes that you are not paying because electric vehicles do not buy gasoline and therefor avoid paying "gas taxes".  This is a trend that I see spreading all over the country in the coming years. 

[Doug S]

My guess about the $100 EV fee that you are charged is that it is probably an attempt to hit you up for state road maintenance taxes that you are not paying because electric vehicles do not buy gasoline and therefor avoid paying "gas taxes".

California's already testing the idea of eliminating the fuel surcharge and replacing it with a direct mileage tax.
http://www.betterroads.com/california-to-test-feasibility-of-mileage-tax/

[ctrlburn]

http://www.ncleg.net/enactedlegislation/statutes/html/bysection/chapter_20/gs_20-87.html


(13)      Additional fee for certain electric vehicles. - At the time of an initial registration or registration renewal, the owner of a plug-in electric vehicle that is not a low-speed vehicle and that does not rely on a nonelectric source of power shall pay a fee in the amount of one hundred dollars ($100.00) in addition to any other required registration fees.


Why?

http://www.journalnow.com/news/local/article_7b36aee6-7c02-11e3-bdb0-0019bb30f31a.html

Officials with the N.C. Department of Transportation said that owners of all-electric vehicles are being billed because they do not otherwise pay taxes for road use and maintenance. The owners of vehicles fueled by gasoline pay for road upkeep through gas taxes metered at each fill-up.


Other states?  Colorado, Nebraska, Virginia and Washington have EV fees.




As for how much of Fuel Tax makes it into Road Maintenance and how much inequity there already is (damage vs payments) I am certain fair governance is an ideal long since fallen out of fashion.

[benswing]

I remember when the $100 EV fee was being debated in NC.  While I don't mind paying my fair share for upkeep of roads, the average driver pays $50/year in gas tax that goes to road maintenance (if I remember correctly), making the $100 a bit of a penalty for EV drivers. 

Also NJ there is no motorcycle inspection as of 2010.

[Doug S]

While I don't mind paying my fair share for upkeep of roads, the average driver pays $50/year in gas tax that goes to road maintenance (if I remember correctly), making the $100 a bit of a penalty for EV drivers.

I agree entirely. I have no problem with paying a specific tax to provide my share of maintenance on the roads. OTOH, if it's really about paying our fair share, let's also acknowledge that lightweight vehicles (especially motorcycles) cause little if any wear and tear on paved roads; it's almost exclusively caused by vehicles with heavier axle loading. That's one of the reasons I liked collecting a gas tax -- a heavier vehicle consumes more gas and therefore pays a higher percentage of the maintenance bill.

It's true that there's a bit of an inequity in not collecting any maintenance money from EV drivers. But I'm really hoping any different method of collecting funds is MORE equitable all round, not less.

[bigd]

"There is also a $100.00 electric vehicle fee included"  North Carolina pays the highest in state and federal gas taxes, at 57.55 cents per gallon (federal gas tax purposes is 18.4 cents per gallon). depending on how much you ride your bike determines if you are saving money or not. If you drive the bike, say 9000 miles a year, (I am using my VTX for an example at 45mpg) you would pay $115.10 in taxes. However, at 7800 you would pay $99.75 in gas taxes. So really it just depends on how much you ride it if it is a bad or good thing for you. I would say that the only way to make it "fair" would be a mileage tax with the weight of the vehicle been part of the equation. Tesla owners will not like this though :-(

[Richard230]

My guess about the $100 EV fee that you are charged is that it is probably an attempt to hit you up for state road maintenance taxes that you are not paying because electric vehicles do not buy gasoline and therefor avoid paying "gas taxes".

California's already testing the idea of eliminating the fuel surcharge and replacing it with a direct mileage tax.
http://www.betterroads.com/california-to-test-feasibility-of-mileage-tax/

They can test the idea all they want, but I don't see that mileage tax flying in CA due to the usual "privacy" concerns.  No one here wants the government to know where they drive, how far they drive, when they drive and where they go.  Otherwise it is a great idea.    My guess it that the state legislature will propose a law, kick it around for a few years and then bury it where the sun don't shine.  The other problem that I have with any new road taxes is that they usually find their way into the general fund and are very unlikely to actually make it into the street maintenance fund.  Meanwhile the roads will continue to go to pot.  What the state would like counties to do is to adopt their own local taxes and fix the roads with their own money. 

[bigd]

Richard said "but I don't see that mileage tax flying" I didn't say I agree with it or even  like it  . Personally, I don't think how many miles is a problem, it is the where that I think is  problem. Richard also said  "problem that I have with any new road taxes is that they usually find their way into the general fund" You are correct there, just more money for govt waste .

[ctrlburn]

Taxing EV's for mileage or additional registration fees is not about "fair share" it is about perceived need for "comeuppance".

My other vehicle is diesel which pays roughly double in fuel taxes than a comparable (if there is one) gasoline powered vehicle and wears our the road about 5n000 times less than a loaded commercial vehicle. So the intent on "fair share" has an abysmal record legislatively.

This used to offset somewhat when I burn road tax reduced BioDiesel, unfortunately BioDiesel is a summer fuel due to gelling in the cold which conflicts with prime motorcycling weather.

This serves to prove that there is no actual intent on legislating "fair share" on road taxes. Autos should have always paid a lower tax on their diesel purchases than commercial vehicles.

Now with the my Zero incurring no fuel tax - but having a negligible impact on road wear (Motorcycles "Equivalent Single Axle Loads" (ESALs) are often considered "optional" when calculating overall road wear) such that I cannot even find a number for comparison to autos.

Then factor in the Carbon Tax equivalence off-set - both in intangible and tangible costs of the reduction in carbon emissions.

Only that will achieve a "fair share" of an EV's road tax burden.

This is all math each legislator is capable of extrapolating... but instead they look at poll numbers and craft campaign sloganisms... while we just endure and Ultrarnr coughs up an "extra" $100.

[Barron91]

I lived in North Carolina for over 30 years. During that time I had lots of PowerSports toys e.g. jet ski's, dirt bikes, ATV's and UTV's. Since I paid a highway tax on petrol used and didn't use the highways should I get a refund?  How about a voucher that I can send to the SR owner to cover his $100 EV fee for the next ten years.

[ctrlburn]

In North Carolina it is called the GAS1201 form
http://www.dornc.com/downloads/motor.html

And My Wisconsin is now proposing extra EV registration fees to "make up for" the missed fuel taxes too.

No sign of clarity as they are also proposing twice the diesel fuel tax increase as gasoline... because "heavy diesels damage the road more" this board is not the place to lament diesel woes, but it does serve to indicate the inequity in those plans.

[oobflyer]

The logical thing to do would be to continually increase gasoline taxes to offset the decrease in revenue from increased electric vehicle usage. This would continue to reward/encourage people to go electric while discouraging people to burn gasoline.
Once electric vehicles make up 50% or 60% of all vehicles on the road then the subject could be revisited.
Just my opinion ;-)