The NC legislature just doesn't like people who drive electric cars:
The state Division of Motor Vehicles has begun collecting a new $100 annual fee from the owners of all-electric cars ...
The House blocked a similar proposal from the Senate last year to charge a $50 fee for hybrid cars such as the Toyota Prius and Chevy Volt, which run on a combination of electricity and gas or diesel fuel. Only 1,600 electric cars are registered statewide, but their numbers are growing. ...
Fuel tax collections are declining because North Carolinians are driving less, their cars are getting more miles out of every gallon, and some drivers are switching to cars that burn no fuel at all.
DMV began adding the new fee for electric cars to its bills for registration renewal fees that were due this month. Projected collections from the fee – $160,000 this year – won’t do much to fill the widening gap between the state’s transportation needs and the revenue collections to pay for them, which is expected to reach $60 billion over the next 30 years.
The $100 fee isn't all that much but there really is no reason to add it on to the tax bill for electric car owners. It doesn't raise much revenue and it goes against the idea that we should encourage fuel efficieincy. If all drivers should pay for road maintence and the payment should increase with miles driven, without a penalty for fuel efficiency, then maybe the most efficient tax would include a fixed amount for all drivers. In other words, vehicle registration in North Carolina should go up by $50 or $100, or whatever it takes to close the revenue gap, for all car owners.
