Forum Discussion
Dadoffourgirls wrote:
I just paid an additional $140 fee for my Bolt in Michigan, but the lease ends in 8 months. Some may think that it is less than gas tax, and that will depend on usage. Since I am in my third year of a 36 month lease, and have 22k miles available, I might end up with less than gas tax.
As noted by valhalla360, my Bolt is used as a commuter car in a family fleet. At the time of the lease, it was the only vehicle that could be leased for under $200. The level 2 charger cost me $100 after utility rebate.
The freighters still bring coal to the powerplant, that generates my electricity.
I use a solar panel to charge my E bikes that I use more than my car (2017 Chevy Sonic Turbo w/ 6speed manual).
pianotuna wrote:
Dadofourgirls,
Will you buy the Bolt after the lease is finished?
Too bad about the coal--but at least the emissions are far more processed than what comes out of a tail pipe.
At this time, I think I will be buying the Bolt. If used vehicle pricing stays strong, it will be a deal. I have a reservation on a Silverado EV, but I think my lease will end way before I can get it. My wife would much prefer the size of an Equinox, and the EV might not be soon enough either.
The Bolt is an efficient commuter, but I also pay 40% more on insurance for the Bolt than a Equinox.- Dadofourgirls,
Will you buy the Bolt after the lease is finished?
Too bad about the coal--but at least the emissions are far more processed than what comes out of a tail pipe. - I just paid an additional $140 fee for my Bolt in Michigan, but the lease ends in 8 months. Some may think that it is less than gas tax, and that will depend on usage. Since I am in my third year of a 36 month lease, and have 22k miles available, I might end up with less than gas tax.
As noted by valhalla360, my Bolt is used as a commuter car in a family fleet. At the time of the lease, it was the only vehicle that could be leased for under $200. The level 2 charger cost me $100 after utility rebate.
The freighters still bring coal to the powerplant, that generates my electricity. valhalla360 wrote:
time2roll wrote:
So not zero.
Depends on the state.
Not long ago OH slapped a $200 surcharge on passenger EV's, $100 on hybrids over and above the $31 yearly reservation fee and you would think it was the end of the world with protests at the state capital over in Columbus LOL. It was an insurrection.
There is no free lunch and if you think there is you're a fool.time2roll wrote:
So not zero.
Depends on the state.- So not zero.
time2roll wrote:
valhalla360 wrote:
About half the states have an extra fee on the annual registration. Rest will assuredly follow soon.
But regardless, comparing a compact ICE car to a compact EV car, the EV paying zero is certainly not fair.
As I stated, they are starting to make moves in the direction of addressing the situation but for the most part the registration fee is less than the gas tax.valhalla360 wrote:
About half the states have an extra fee on the annual registration. Rest will assuredly follow soon.
But regardless, comparing a compact ICE car to a compact EV car, the EV paying zero is certainly not fair.ShinerBock wrote:
valhalla360 wrote:
Now add in the $0.184 federal gas tax...I was rounding to figure around $0.50 gal, so about $2/gal which up until the last year or so has been fairly typical. The exact percentage will vary as most are per gal, not per dollar taxes.
The problem is 40-50mpg cars are also common place so highway funding is already struggling. Currently, it's the high MPG gas cars but EVs paying nothing are justifiably viewed as not paying their fair share and there are moves to correct it.
I am not sure I can agree with the "fair share" part in regards to fuel efficient ICE/Hybrid vehicles. My BMW 328d gets 47 mpg combined and weighs 3,250 which is on the heavy side of most ICE vehicles that get around that mileage. Looking at the comparative damage chart below from an article I read about this years ago, it is doing about .45 comparative level of damage to the roads. My 8,500 lb Ram 2500 that gets 17 mpg combined is doing 21.3 comparative level of damage. So the car only getting 2.76 times better fuel economy, yet the truck is doing 47.4 times the comparative level of damage. Based on this, I would say my fuel efficient car is paying its fair share of it's comparative level of damage.
An EV on the other hand is pretty heavy and I 100% agree with you here. The extended range Lightning clocks in at 6,500 lbs and would be doing some extensive damage to the roads without paying fuel tax.
Yes heavy trucks do the vast majority of pavement damage. In fact, your table stops too soon. A 9 ton semi-tractor is basically running empty. An 80,000lb fully loaded semi tractor-trailer will clock in somewhere around 10,000 times the damage of a 4-5,000lb passenger car. When we do pavement design, passenger cars and light trucks are completely ignored. So yes, heavy trucks don't pay their fair share.
But, it's not just pavement damage that results in costs to maintain the roadway system. Signals, signs, drainage, pavement markings, turn lanes, multiple thru lanes, these are all heavily driven by serving passenger vehicles and weight doesn't really factor to a great degree.
But regardless, comparing a compact ICE car to a compact EV car, the EV paying zero is certainly not fair.
