The New Hampshire House has approved a plan to charge a sliding fee to vehicles based on their efficiency, starting with those that get as little as 21 mpg, to compensate for paying less gasoline tax.
The bill passed Thursday, 168-152, on a roll call vote.
It would charge electric vehicles an extra $111 a year – the gasoline tax paid by a 20 mpg vehicle that travels 10,000 miles a year. It would charge hybrid vehicles, which use both electric and gasoline engines, less than that on a sliding fee that is based on their EPA estimated mileage from “more than 50 mpg” down to 20 mpg. Vehicles getting less than 20 mpg would pay nothing extra.
If passed by the Senate and signed by Gov. Chris Sununu, it would go into effect in June 2019.
Earlier in the session, a proposal to slap a $75 annual fee on hybrid vehicles and $125 fee on electric vehicles failed.
Opponents of extra payments say they penalize vehicle owners who do less damage to the environment while rewarding the owners of more-polluting vehicles.
The bill says implementing the program would cost an estimated $330,000, partly for equipment to connect local registrars’ offices with official EPA mpg ratings.
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This was very backward thinking, however I’m sure this committee was pushed to the wall trying to come up with ways to increase income to the state. Why not hit a small minority group trying to do something good for the environment? Shame on them. If you want to see who sponsored this nonsense see: https://legiscan.com/NH/text/HB1541/id/1656603
The main sponsors seem to be:
SPONSORS: Rep. J. Graham, Hills. 7; Rep. McConkey, Carr. 3; Rep. Ebel, Merr. 5; Rep. Sprague, Straf. 18; Rep. Chandler, Carr. 1; Sen. Watters, Dist 4
Rep. John Graham, Repubican, Hillsborough District 07, res: Bedford NH
Rep. Mark Mconkey, Republican, Carroll – District 03; res: Freedom NH
Rep. Karen Ebel, Democrat; Merrimack – District 05; res. New London NH.
Rep. Dale Sprague, Democrat; Strafford-District 18; res: Somersworth NH
Rep. Gene Chandler, Republican; Carroll, District 01; res: Bartlett NH
Sen. David Watters, Democrat; Dist 4; residence: Dover NH.
Let’s not forget that combustable natural resources were consumed to generate the electricity these EV and hybrids require. The net – net is less about the benefits to the environment but rather shifting the utility from one source to another. That is a simple fact that the general media and eco-advocates fail to disclose. That transition being relatively equal in eco-impact, it makes community-sense to charge the operators of these vehicles extra at the point of registration.
That argument doesn’t hold up in the Northeast because our electricity is comparatively clean (which means fewer coal-fired power plants, mostly). Also, electric motors are much more efficient than internal combustion motors.
So every mile driven by electricity in NH is cleaner than a mile driven by fossil fuels in a similar vehicle.
https://www.ucsusa.org/publications/catalyst/winter16-electric-vehicles-just-how-green-are-they#.WrqKTi7wa70
Including natural gas, it’s actually the majority of the origination of our electricity. Now with Northern Pass effectively killed, biomass and some others will only move the needle slightly to the Green. I have a older Benz which runs on used vege oil, which also would exempt me from these additional registration fees. From cradle to grave, that setup runs greener than any EV out today. Gerard is correct
In addition, the newer quick charge EV’s provide both longer range per charge but individually require significantly more electricity (vis a vis consuming more natural resources)than non-quick charge. I read that a quick charge Tesla consumes the same amount of electricity as powering 9 homes for a full day. multiply that by the expected millions more of these EV’s hitting the road. the utility shift will be so dramatic, that all electricity users will be paying even more as significant upgrades in our national grid must be made in order to support the increase is consumption.
We drive hybrid vehicles to feel better about the “situation”, when in reality it is a magical thinking. We burn wood and clear cut forests to rationalize our feel good methodology, yet burning wood is more harmful to the air and our NH forests, than oil based products. The same people who are always screaming about other people paying their “fair share”, are the first to scream in agony about paying (their fair share) when it comes to the gas tax.
Yes, I agree 100%. Both wood and oil are sustainable. The tree grows in 30 years, oil in 300 million years.
Many people are using their own solar panels to provide the power for their electric or hybrid vehicles. Combustible natural resources are not always used for powering vehicles.
This means of powering electric vehicles will gradually increase as electric vehicles improved and more models are available.
Well, of course we need to think about renewable energy as part of the entire concept. I guess nobody believes that we are going to burn coal and gas long term. But only a few care about it.
Concern troll somewhere else. My Volt is charged off of solar.
A follow-on article debating the merits of rebates and federal tax-credits that these owners receive might be warranted. Still, some drivers might suggest that highway maintenance plan costs should also come under review.
What about people (like me) who have a hybrid and go only about 4000 miles a year? Why should I pay 2-1/2 times what I ought to if the fine- I mean tax- were pro rata?
How about looking at how much one drives, rather than what kind of car one owns?
I actually wouldn’t mind paying a fee since that gas tax pays for our roads right?