The drivers of electric cars in the American state of Texas are protesting against a new law that taxes them with an additional 200 dollars a year as compensation for the revenue from excise taxes on fuels that the state authorities are losing, DPA reported, quoted by BGNES.
The Texas law, which took effect in early September, clashes with efforts to persuade drivers to drive low-emissions cars in a state where electric vehicles have a minimal share.
State lawmakers passed the law earlier this year that requires EV owners to pay the two-year fee, or $400, when they buy a car or renew their registration.
Already, 33 US states legally tax EV owners up to $225 a year, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
In many European countries and parts of Canada, electric vehicles are exempt from certain tolls to encourage the use of these types of vehicles, which are generally more expensive than their internal combustion engine equivalents.
According to the Texas Tribune website, the number of electric vehicles in the oil-rich state has increased from 8,397 in 2016 to 105,807 in 2022. However, they remain less than 1 percent of the total number of cars registered in Texas.
According to officials, the legislation was introduced because electric car drivers do not pay their “fair share” into a fund that helps build and repair roads in the state.
