pmichaelmd

Just transferred my veteran's tag and renewed my annual registration at my tag office and found, to my dismay, that Georgia imposes a $210 annual "alternative fuel vehicle" fee! Enacted in July 2022, I had never heard of this and am irritated. Obviously $210 isn't a huge deal, but the optics of such an annual fee are ridiculous. Not to debate the science behind whether or not BEVs actually realize a decreased use of fossil fuels, but this seems counterintuitive to the theoretical push to "save the environment" and might prove to be a disincentive to some who may not be as fortunate as we. Usually we as veterans have an annual $0 tag transfer fee, but now we have the privilege to have the government fleece us just a little bit more. Couple that with the inability to claim the federal tax credits any longer as we are priced out by income, it is just a further smack in the face.
Rant over.

LOGOSDJ

Utopia Texas

I agree that we are being fleeced a new way every day by the government but since we pay no fuel tax to repair and build the road system we have to pay our fair share. Unfortunately they will keep increasing the EV taxes until it will be too expensive to drive. They just never quit…..

pmichaelmd

pmichaelmd

I get it, I just have the misfortune to live in the state with the highest annual fee. I had read that states were considering moving toward a use tax, which would make more sense as vehicles become more fuel efficient and less gas is purchased to fund road works. Given how much most of us already pay in taxes, I would welcome that sort of use tax to allow everybody who uses the roads to participate in their maintenance. Won't even broach the subject of fair or flat taxes...
Good times!

chassis

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Them Georgia boys gotcha. EVs do consume public infrastructure, don’t they?

pmichaelmd

They do and I suppose it isn't unfair to assess fees for maintenance. Maybe just railing against the system in general because it caught me unaware and I didn't get assessed with my previous PHEV vehicle because Georgia doesn't assess a fee on those (even though that doesn't make much sense). Lol.

Utopia Texas

Here in Texas the Fed. and state tax per gallon of Gas/Diesel is roughly .39 cents per gallon so your $210 yearly tax on a EV is the same as I would pay on 538 gallons of fuel here in Texas.

ua549

Florida gas tax is 28ȼ plus the Federal 18.4ȼ tax totals 46.4ȼ per gallon or $46.40 for the 100 gallons I purchase each year. The $210 seems quite high for the 3k miles I drive each year. I'm happy to not live in Georfia.

stealth.pilot

Hey I am from Atlanta. When I registered my EQS, they offered 2 options -
Regular tag - no $210 EV fee
AFV tag - $210 fee but gives you free access to HOV lanes, Toll lanes and Toll roads even when not carrying any passengers.

I took the AFV tag because that $210 is well spent when considering the time savings being able to use the HOV lane when driving alone. The only snag with the AFV tag was that it cannot be personalized. But I have a personalized tag on my Corvette and my wife's GLE. I'd rather have the HOV lane access on the EQS.

pmichaelmd

Interesting! I wasn't offered that option. The HB-170 regulation made the fee $210 even without the AFV tag. I didn't want to give up my veteran tag anyhow, but was taken aback. Using the HOV lane would be interesting and I wish there was a combo military/AFV tag that allowed that option.

stealth.pilot

They should make AFV a sticker and let people get whatever tag they want. I find it ridiculous you can't personalize any tag, only the standard peach tag. It's also leaving money on the table vs the way other states do it.

BTW you may want to go to the DMV and check if you can get your AFV fee back and get a Veteran tag. My guess is they won't refund the AFV fee but they will let you have a veteran tag. Which county are you?

ncatoffice

I can confirm that you can keep your Veteran tag. My wife used to travel to midtown for work every day from
the northern suburbs, so we got us AFV tags which allowed her to use the HOV and the peach pass lanes for free and without any one else riding in the car. Before that we had a regular plate and didn’t pay any fees

c4004matic

The explanation is simple. They are trying to get their gas tax despite the fact that you don't use any gas. Most road money comes from it. Since you are using the roads..... Its OK!

Baltistyle

​​​​​

I suppose you are a fan of new taxes. Mind sending me some money? I’d like to tax your wasting our time. Actually, the tax is equivalent to your current most valuable car, and I charge this tax once a minute. Thank you Big Brother for all you do. No complaining, just pay me.

c4004matic

Given that you are saving saving ten times that fee in gas, in sum, its a small fee. You do have roads where you live, dont't you? I find that anyone that can buy this car whines about a 200 dollar fee quite distateful.

MBNUT1

How should the roads be paid for?

My proposal would be miles driven * weight of vehicle.

ua549

Actually, the flat fee should be usage based as is gasoline tax. Flat fees benefit big consumers to the detriment of small users. $210 is about 4 times the amount I pay in gas taxes each year. Oklahoma charges road use taxes at public/commercial chargers on electricity used. I do not know how or if they tax electricity used by home chargers.

Do you find the find people who drive a $15,000 used Bolt who don't like the flat fee distasteful as well?

taybae

Thank you for your service! Sorry your state is fleecing you

pmichaelmd

The idea of using the AFV tag for the peach pass lane is intriguing. Are you saying you kept the Veteran tag AND used an AFV tag?

pmichaelmd

I agree that perhaps the fee is excessive as compared to any of the other 17 states which charge a fee. I agree that paying something for road maintenance is appropriate and, without conceit, am fortunate in that $210 is not a big deal. As noted above, it is likely that $210 wouldn’t pinch many of the fine people on this board. I was just surprised on the spot as I had been expecting the typical $0 vet tag transfer.
Also, I am not a fan of big govt but that is likely a subject for another time and place and best had over a proper pint. 😬

Baltistyle

We would treat it like private business instead of increasing transactional cost through non unit (miles used) cost based taxation. There would be competitive bids, then within the county and city budgets the road and infrastructure costs would be accounted and paid for. Roads are required regardless of we the driver and everyone’s use is different. There will always be the freeloaders dilemma.

and remember, some of these taxes are by people trying to dissuade ev implementation. I understand the current gas tax structure but to believe it’s the way, or that this fee is the way is just plain silly, imho.

I can’t wait to see the associated electrical taxes to also pay for the roads….charging stations…

Old Dawg

pmichaelmd
I had the same question. I understand allowing an EV to use the HOV lane, but the Peach Pass seems like a different issue and would be interested in more information. Do you still need the PeachPass transponder? As an out of State user, I paid my EV "road tax" and have a PeachPass account, could I use the HOV lane?

ncatoffice

No. When we first bought our car, we had a regular tag, and so the same rules applied as to any ICE car for Peach pass and HOV lanes
Then, when my wife started to go to midtown everyday, we gave up our regular tag and applied for the AFV tag. With the AFV tag on, we could use the hov lanes, and peach pass lane for free (non-ttoll mode), even through she was alone in the car
we still need to have the peach pass sticker in the car, but permanently in non toll mode.

https://peachpass.com/where-can-i-us...express-lanes/

BenjaminKohl

Not to get too political but I've heard of a few states, mostly generally ocnservative leaning states, with politicains in the politics of big oil putting disincentives on electric vehicles such as this. To encourage poeple to stick with ICE cars. Blows my mind as to why.