# Stop EV Freeloading Act

This bill proposes to make electric vehicle owners pay a new federal tax based on how many miles they drive. Right now, the federal government funds road maintenance and infrastructure through the gas tax—every time you fill up your tank, a portion of that money goes to highways and bridges. The problem, according to supporters of this bill, is that EV owners don't buy gas, so they're not contributing to these road funds even though they use the same roads as everyone else.

The bill would create a mileage-based fee system for electric vehicles to replace the gas tax revenue they're not paying. Essentially, EV owners would owe money to the federal government based on the miles they drive each year. This is meant to level the playing field so that all drivers—whether they drive gas cars, hybrids, or electric vehicles—contribute fairly to maintaining the nation's roads and highways.

Who this affects most directly is anyone who owns or plans to buy an electric vehicle. They would face a new annual tax bill based on their driving habits. The amount would depend on how many miles they drive, though the bill doesn't specify the exact rate. People who drive a lot would pay more than those who drive occasionally. This could make EV ownership more expensive and might influence whether someone decides to buy an electric car in the first place.

The broader impact depends on how you see it. Supporters argue it's only fair that EV owners help pay for roads they use. Critics counter that this could discourage people from switching to cleaner vehicles and that the government should find other ways to fund infrastructure without penalizing people for choosing environmentally friendly transportation.

Stop EV Freeloading Act

Fischer, Deb

Stop EV Freeloading ActThis bill imposes a new excise tax in the amount of $1,000 on the sale of an electric vehicle and a new excise tax in the amount of $550 on the sale of a battery module weighing over 1,000 pounds for use in an electric vehicle. The bill also requires the Department of the Treasury to transfer amounts collected from the new excise taxes to the Highway Trust Fund.The bill defines electric vehicle as a light-duty vehicle (a motor vehicle weighing less than 8,500 pounds that is manufactured for use on public roads) that is powered by a battery with a capacity of at least seven kilowatt hours and is recharged through an external source of electricity. The bill specifies that the term does not apply to hybrid vehicles, which are powered by a combination of fuel and a rechargeable energy storage system.The bill defines battery module as two or more battery cells configured to create voltage or current (or no battery cells) and with an aggregate capacity of at least seven kilowatt hours (or one kilowatt hour for a hydrogen fuel cell vehicle).&nbsp;