Question for those who live in California

[ultrarunner]

Curious exactly how CA will calculate the mileage a person drives. Monitor device or honor system? Annual odometer inspection?
Crazy too = give millions of dollars in EV incentives and then devise a system to take it back. Make up your mind. You are going to pay people to drive EVs or you are going to charge them for driving EVs? It will cost millions of dollars to implement any sort of system. The size and reach of govt continues to grow. Essentially feeding upon itself

It's similar to the carbon reduction mandate where solar dominates the future but now solar companies in a world of hurt as the benefits trimmed and new fees imposed grid tie in with some based on household income... the installs experienced dramatic drop.

Maybe same Fastrac transponders for bridge tolls, etc.?

 

[ericm979]

Curious exactly how CA will calculate the mileage a person drives. Monitor device or honor system? Annual odometer inspection?
Crazy too = give millions of dollars in EV incentives and then devise a system to take it back. Make up your mind. You are going to pay people to drive EVs or you are going to charge them for driving EVs? It will cost millions of dollars to implement any sort of system. The size and reach of govt continues to grow. Essentially feeding upon itself

It'd be a lot simpler to just charge more for registering EVs like Oregon does. Imperfect but simple.

Or switch how the fund roads from mostly usage taxes, which largely come from fuel taxes, to mostly from the general fund. But that makes people who don't drive or don't drive much subsidize the people who drive a lot, which is why the usage taxes were implemented.

Maybe same Fastrac transponders for bridge tolls, etc.?

That's worried me since Fastrak was implemented. The data from Fastrak sensors is fed to "fusion centers" where the authorities keep databases of everyone's movements, which can be used with out warrants. The next step is to make it mandatory. It's already functionally mandatory for people who drive across the bridges or use the carpool or express lanes, which is most people in the bay area.

 

[scootr]

Look how EV friendly we are, purchase incentives, reduced registration, but don't look at the use tax Typical politicians give with one hand and take away with the other. The ole shell game never gets old

 

[Oaktree]

Curious exactly how CA will calculate the mileage a person drives. Monitor device or honor system? Annual odometer inspection?
Crazy too = give millions of dollars in EV incentives and then devise a system to take it back. Make up your mind. You are going to pay people to drive EVs or you are going to charge them for driving EVs?

Actually, this makes perfect sense to me. This way all drivers pay their share of the costs of maintaining the highway system instead of just those who drive ICEs. Those EVs put just as much wear on the roads as ICE vehicles do, maybe a bit more since they're heavier.
I don't know if Calif. has some sort of annual vehicle inspection, if it does noting the mileage could easily be part of it. Otherwise, just require the mileage to be reported when you renew registration.

 

[plowhog]

Curious exactly how CA will calculate the mileage a person drives.

Require a smog check and capture the odometer during the inspection. NV is already doing that although they don't yet have a "per mile" fee.

Some people feel it is fair to charge EV's by weight, or fair to tax fuel, or fair to charge by miles driven, or charge commercial fees for a pickup truck, and so on. But what happens when all of these get added to your renewal, just a little here and there, but then ramping up quickly after they are established? What is next-- climate change abatement on my DMV vehicle registration?

Years ago the insurance industry jacked rates on small vehicles because they "suffered" abnormal damage in a collision. About 3 years later, the industry jacked rates on large vehicles because they "inflicted" abnormal damage. Multiply that a few more times and you have caught up to the CA government plan ........

 

[bcp]

Why would an EV need a smog check, during which the odometer could be checked?



Bruce

 

[ultrarunner]

ICE every 2 year emission check vehicles 1976 to within 5 years of current model year.

So if you buy a new car you don't have to take it in for emissions testing the first 5 years BUT you must pay a in lieu of not testing to the state for the privilege of not testing...

I have collector ICE cars licensed and insured and several are old enough to predate odometers...

My guess is horseless carriage and historic vehicle plated might get a pass?

 

[plowhog]

Why would an EV need a smog check, during which the odometer could be checked?



Bruce

Good point.

NV checks odometers but doesn't charge fee per mile. CA wants to charge fee per mile but no reason to check smog on ICE.

Hmm-- I doubt this will stop the CA authorities. When it comes to taxes they have a very creative bag of tricks.

 

[kenmbz]

I would think for EVs they broadcast their data back home.
Maybe the thinking is to somehow change laws to get access to that data to charge for road use.
Then would also need to know the road use is within CA, so they would need location data too.

Could see a lot of "feedback" if CA charged for people to use other states roads and other states upset that they would not get the revenue. The excuse or registered in CA, but charge road use while you drive cross country might make an interesting court case.

 

[plowhog]

Could see a lot of "feedback" if CA charged for people to use other states roads and other states upset that they would not get the revenue.

CA always takes the position to impose the tax, and force you to spend your energy and money to fight if you disagree. So I'd expect CA to presume all miles are driven in CA, and it might not even matter since the vehicle is "registered" in CA.

My parents retired to NV. For many years CA charged income tax on their retirement even though residents of another state. The CA logic was the retirement had been "earned" while working in CA.

It literally took an act of Congress to pass a law outlawing the practice.