Congress, Fuel Tax and Gasoline-Electric

President Biden calls on Congress, States for fuel tax holiday; increase in refinery capacity

Green Car Congress

JUNE 23, 2022

President Biden called on Congress to suspend the federal gas tax for the next 90 days, through the busy summer driving season—18 cents per gallon for gasoline and 24 cents per gallon for diesel. He also called on states to suspend their state gas taxes as well or to find other ways to deliver some relief.

Congress

Congress Fuel Tax Tax Fuel

UC Davis report proposes mileage fee for EVs, maintaining fuel tax for ICEs to support road repairs

Green Car Congress

JANUARY 4, 2019

A research report submitted to the California Legislature this week by the University of California, Davis’ Institute of Transportation Studies proposes switching EVs to a mileage-based road-funding fee (road user charge, RUC) while continuing to have gasoline-powered cars pay gasoline taxes.

Davis

Davis Fuel Tax Tax Gasoline-Electric

Belfer Center report calls for policymakers to begin taking steps to change policies for funding US transportation infrastructure

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 23, 2010

users pay for the construction and maintenance of roads via a federal fuel tax. Revenues from the tax go into the federal Highway Trust Fund, which is independent of the General Fund; every five years or so Congress passes an authorization bill to allocate these revenues. States use similar mechanisms. —Huang et al.

Transportation

Transportation Fuel Tax Tax Gasoline-Electric

Sen. Baucus draft for energy tax reform focuses on clean production of electricity and fuels; repeals plug-in vehicle credits

Green Car Congress

DECEMBER 19, 2013

This new staff discussion draft focuses energy tax policy on stimulating domestic, clean production of electricity and transportation fuels, which account for 68% of energy consumed in the US. It also would repeal a number of current tax incentives, including those for plug-in electric vehicles and fuel cell vehicles.

Tax

Tax Tax Credit Clean Cleaning

GM weighs in against Washington’s proposed EV surtax

Green Car Congress

MARCH 9, 2012

The proposal currently excludes vehicles such as the Chevrolet Volt, which can run part of the time on gasoline. Proponents of the surtax argue the fee is needed to offset losses in state gas tax revenues since EV owners don’t need to buy gas. Electric vehicles are a promising new and evolving advanced technology.

GM

GM Washington Tax Fuel Tax

New Zealand simplifies Road User Charges system, extends exemption for light electric motor vehicles from 2013 to 2020

Green Car Congress

JUNE 14, 2012

In New Zealand, diesel and electric-powered vehicles pay for their road use through road user charges. Since some 36% of diesel is used off-road, such as on farms, by manufacturing, industrial and commercial ventures, and boats, a fuel tax for road use would impose an unfair burden onto these sectors, the government says.).

New Zealand

New Zealand Light 2013 2020

Congressional Budget Office estimates US federal policies promoting EVs and other fuel-efficient vehicles will cost $7.5B through 2019; little or no impact on gasoline use and GHG in the short term

Green Car Congress

SEPTEMBER 21, 2012

Tax credits and gasoline prices necessary for various electric vehicles to be cost-competitive with conventional vehicles at 2011 vehicle prices. The electric vehicles that are the focus of this study fall into two broad classes: plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery-electric vehicles. Source: CBO.

Tax Credit

Tax Credit Gasoline Tax Gasoline-Electric

Study finds behavior-influencing policies remain critical for mass market success of low-carbon vehicles

Green Car Congress

JULY 23, 2018

Policies to entice consumers away from fossil-fuel powered vehicles and normalize low carbon, alternative-fuel alternatives, such as electric vehicles, are vital if the world is to significantly reduce transport sector carbon pure-emissions, according to a new study. Share of EDVs in 2050. McCollum et al. Click to enlarge.

Carbon

Carbon Market Alternative Fuels Vehicles

BCG study finds conventional automotive technologies have high CO2 reduction potential at lower cost; stiff competition for electric cars

Green Car Congress

JUNE 15, 2011

As a result, BCG concludes, the electric car faces stiff competition from ICEs (internal combustion engines) and, based solely on total cost of ownership (TCO) economics, will not be the preferred option for most consumers. BCG expects pack costs for OEMs will fall to ~$360-440 per kWh by 2020. Source: BCG. Click to enlarge. Source: BCG.

CO2

CO2 Electric Cars 2020 United States

Study finds CO2 emissions trading more effective path to automotive CO2 reduction in Europe than tailpipe standards

Green Car Congress

NOVEMBER 11, 2016

The model also includes representation of fleet turnover, and opportunities for fuel use and emissions abatement, including representation of electric vehicles. The European Union (EU) recently adopted CO 2 emissions mandates for new passenger cars, requiring steady reductions to 95 gCO 2 /km in 2021.

Standards

Standards Emissions CO2 Europe

Belfer Center Study Concludes Reducing Car and Truck GHG Emissions Will Require Substantially Higher Fuel Prices; Income Tax Credits for Advanced Alt Fuel Vehicles Are Essentially Ineffective at Reducing Sector Emissions

Green Car Congress

MARCH 8, 2010

The study— Analysis of Policies to Reduce Oil Consumption and Greenhouse-Gas Emissions from the US Transportation Sector —finds that reducing CO 2 emissions from the transportation sector 14% below 2005 levels by 2020 may require fuel prices above $8/gallon by 2020. —Morrow et al.

Tax Credit

Tax Credit Tax Emissions Fuel

UC report to CalEPA outlines policy options to decarbonize California transportation by 2045

Green Car Congress

APRIL 22, 2021

This TCO issue is critical because electric vehicles (EVs) are likely to be superior on a TCO basis in less than 10 years, but buyers base their decision more on the EV purchase price, which is not optimal for the economy nor the environment. Transportation pricing: Gasoline taxes. Transit-oriented development/densification.

Transportation

Transportation California Davis Carbon

California ARB mods to ZEV regulations for IVMs would result in ~1.9% drop in total ZEV/TZEV units 2018-2025; no impact on air quality requirements

Green Car Congress

OCTOBER 20, 2014

In addition, although many experts say that the solution to our energy and climate problems is sending the correct price signals to industry and consumers, the transport sector’s behavior is highly inelastic in that it does not change significantly in response to changes in fuel prices, at least in the range that is politically acceptable.

2018

2018 California 2012 Plug-in

Virginia General Assembly moving forward with replacing gasoline and diesel fuel tax with sales tax; $100 annual tax for EVs, HEVs and alt-fuel vehicles

Green Car Congress

FEBRUARY 24, 2013

The Virginia General Assembly is moving forward with legislation ( HB2313 ), that, among its other elements, would abolish the state’s gasoline and diesel fuel taxes and replace them with a sales tax. Currently, both gasoline and diesel carry a $0.175/gallon fuel tax. cents-per-gallon tax.

Virginia

Virginia Tax Fuel Tax Gasoline

MIT Energy Initiative report on transforming the US transportation system by 2050 to address climate challenges

Green Car Congress

MARCH 16, 2016

Average on-road fuel consumptions (tank to wheels) of the different propulsion systems in an average light-duty vehicle: 2010, 2030, and 2050. Values normalized to standard naturally-aspirated gasoline engine vehicle. Includes vehicle weight reduction: at constant acceleration capability.

MIT

MIT Transportation Climate Energy

EV Driven

President Biden calls on Congress, States for fuel tax holiday; increase in refinery capacity

UC Davis report proposes mileage fee for EVs, maintaining fuel tax for ICEs to support road repairs

Belfer Center report calls for policymakers to begin taking steps to change policies for funding US transportation infrastructure

Sen. Baucus draft for energy tax reform focuses on clean production of electricity and fuels; repeals plug-in vehicle credits

GM weighs in against Washington’s proposed EV surtax

New Zealand simplifies Road User Charges system, extends exemption for light electric motor vehicles from 2013 to 2020

Congressional Budget Office estimates US federal policies promoting EVs and other fuel-efficient vehicles will cost $7.5B through 2019; little or no impact on gasoline use and GHG in the short term

Study finds behavior-influencing policies remain critical for mass market success of low-carbon vehicles

BCG study finds conventional automotive technologies have high CO2 reduction potential at lower cost; stiff competition for electric cars

Study finds CO2 emissions trading more effective path to automotive CO2 reduction in Europe than tailpipe standards

Belfer Center Study Concludes Reducing Car and Truck GHG Emissions Will Require Substantially Higher Fuel Prices; Income Tax Credits for Advanced Alt Fuel Vehicles Are Essentially Ineffective at Reducing Sector Emissions

UC report to CalEPA outlines policy options to decarbonize California transportation by 2045

California ARB mods to ZEV regulations for IVMs would result in ~1.9% drop in total ZEV/TZEV units 2018-2025; no impact on air quality requirements

Virginia General Assembly moving forward with replacing gasoline and diesel fuel tax with sales tax; $100 annual tax for EVs, HEVs and alt-fuel vehicles

MIT Energy Initiative report on transforming the US transportation system by 2050 to address climate challenges

Stay Connected