Electric Vehicle Owners Advocate for Fairer Highway Fees
Portland, ME – Daniel Abbott, a long-time electric vehicle (EV) owner, has expressed his support for a fair taxation system that would replace road use taxes typically paid by gas vehicle owners. In a recent letter to the editor, Abbott addressed concerns regarding a proposed annual fee of $250 for EV owners, which he believes is disproportionately high compared to what gas vehicle drivers pay in taxes.
Abbott noted that the average electric vehicle is driven approximately 5,300 miles annually. For a gas vehicle achieving 30 miles per gallon, this would equate to around 177 gallons of gas, costing roughly $530. With Maine’s gas tax set at 30 cents per gallon, a gas driver contributes about $53 in taxes – just 21% of the proposed EV fee.
To achieve a more equitable system, Abbott suggested that road use taxes should be based on a combination of vehicle weight and annual miles driven. He proposed leveraging existing data, including mileage reported during vehicle registration renewals and EPA estimates of fuel efficiency, to automatically calculate a fair fee for each vehicle.
Furthermore, Abbott emphasized the importance of having nonresidents contribute to highway maintenance through a tax at the pump, ensuring all drivers—regardless of vehicle type—share the responsibility for maintaining the state’s infrastructure.
As more citizens transition to electric vehicles, Abbott’s call for a recalibrated taxation system may pave the way for a fairer approach to road funding in Maine, balancing the need for revenue with equitable contributions from all vehicle owners.
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