Most Floridians have embraced the electric-vehicle (EV) revolution, giving the state the second-highest number of registered EVs in the nation at 7%. Florida residents clearly are eager to take advantage of the cost savings that switching to an EV can provide.
However, the Florida Legislature is suggesting a bill that would single out EV owners with a punitive new tax.
Traditionally, revenue from the state’s gas tax has funded Florida’s road maintenance, but with EV sales projected to make up between 40% and 50% of all vehicle sales by 2030, the amount available in the state’s coffers will be reduced. It’s imperative that new state road funding taxes align to ensure that we both maintain our roads and that we also treat Floridians justly.
Unfortunately, as filed, Senate Bill 28 and House Bill 107 would create a punitive flat annual license tax for EV owners of $200 — almost 40% higher than what a current average gas vehicle pays annually at the pump. A University of South Florida study found that, on average, gasoline vehicle drivers contribute around $125 to $146 each year for road maintenance to the State Transportation Trust Fund through gas taxes.
General Bill: by EspositoElectric and Hybrid Vehicle License Fees: Imposes additional annual license fees on electric vehicles & plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; increases such fees at certain times; authorizes persons & entities to biennially renew registrations for such vehicles; provides for distribution of proceeds from additional annual license fees; specifies requirements for use of proceeds by local governments; provides exemptions; provides for future expiration.Effective Date: July 1, 2024Last Event: Now in Transportation & Modals Subcommittee on Tuesday, October 17, 2023 4:45 PM
As proposed the $200 annual tax for EV owners exceeds this by more than $50 and significantly departs from the existing usage-based model, resulting in a disadvantage for EV owners. Indeed, this flat tax means that whether Florida families driving EVs go 20 miles or 20,000 miles they will be paying the same annual road use tax. Additionally, when 40% to 50% of all vehicles transition to EVs, it would mean that nearly half of Florida’s 137 million annual tourists, who are exempt from the tax, would fail to participate in the financial support of road maintenance, putting the burden of road and highway maintenance solely on Florida residents.
SB 28: License Taxes - see it here
GENERAL BILL by Senator Ed Hooper
License Taxes; Defining the terms “electric vehicle” and “plug-in hybrid electric vehicle”; imposing specified additional annual license taxes on electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles; increasing such taxes beginning on a specified date; providing for the distribution of proceeds from the additional license taxes; providing that certain vehicles are exempt from specified license taxes, etc.
Effective Date: 7/1/2024
Last Action: 10/10/2023 Senate - Referred to Transportation; Appropriations
Florida stands to benefit from the significant reductions in health-harming and climate-worsening pollution that EVs will provide. We have an opportunity to make economically sound policy decisions that will ready the Sunshine State for the changing landscape of our transportation future. While an equitable solution is needed, Senate Bill 28 risks preventing the realization of these deep benefits, in addition to violating the fundamental principle that everybody should pay an equal share by requiring EV drivers to pay more.
The truth is, by 2030, 87% of Florida’s projected revenue shortfall for the State Transportation Trust Fund will not be from increased EVs on the road, but rather driven by stagnant federal gas rates and increased costs for road construction and materials. During the past 10 years, relying on gas taxes has proven insufficient for the construction and upkeep of roads and highways.
At the least, any new tax imposed on EV owners should not exceed the expenses that these drivers would pay for an equivalent gas vehicle. This is especially important if the extra funds are not directed to beneficial EV ends, such as supporting the state’s Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Master Plan, bolstering emergency charging infrastructure or guaranteeing secure hurricane evacuation routes, as Alabama and other states have done.
Finding the right balance between promoting fuel efficiency and funding essential infrastructure is of critical importance to ensure the transportation sector is ushered into the modern era. Florida can’t be truly free if consumer choice is met with punitive taxes. The correct approach should be one that is balanced and based, at least in part, on who and how intensively they are using our roads.
For the sake of Florida’s economy and its residents’ wallets, it is imperative that we craft this policy carefully to uphold Florida’s values and continue our country-leading growth in electric vehicles.
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