Electric vehicle owners could see huge registration fee. A new bill was just filed that would put an additional $200 onto the registration of electric vehicles in the Tampa Bay area. To me, this seems a little steep.
Being an electric vehicle owner myself, I’m not a fan of this bill at all. A lot of EV owners drive electric cars to help the environment. The car payment alone is already super steep because the cost of the car is sometimes more then an average car. We also have to “pay” for the electricity. My electric bill went up about $75 – $80 a month with my Tesla.
This bill was filed by Republican Senator Ed Hooper who proposes that drivers of EV need to pay more. A similar bill was introduced last year, saying that there are more EVs on the road than ever anticipated. He believes this is a fairness issue and that “The free ride needs to come to a stop”. There is no free ride when you buy an EV.
The $200 fee would be on top of the registration fees that are already required. If you drive a hybrid vehicle, you would have to pay $50. Wow, that is quite a difference.
This is just for the state of Florida. About 30 states have a registration fee ranging from $50, which is the lowest, to $211, which is the highest, which is in Georgia.
Where Does The Extra Money Go
Where does this extra money go? 64% of the funds would be deposited into the State Transportation Trust Fund and 36% would be allocated to the county where the vehicle is registered. It’s state funding for road repairs and other infrastructure improvements.
The 2024 legislative session begins in January. If passed, the bill would go into effect on July 1, 2024. in the story from WESH, Bruce Edelston, chair of the policy committee of Drive Electric Florida says that a more comparable fee to what gas-powered car drivers pay would be between $125 and $150.
Either way, it stinks for EV drivers. Both Kevin and Launa from the show have a Tesla.
Most Targeted Vehicles For Car Theft In Florida
