this post was submitted on 17 Aug 2025
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44
Stop the free ride: all motorists should pay their way, whatever vehicle they drive (theconversation.com)
submitted 16 hours ago by HalfEarthMedic@slrpnk.net to c/australia@aussie.zone
16 comments fedilink hide all child comments
 

A specific road use tax on EVs and hybrids makes no sense.

Given the harms caused by traditional vehicles, society should welcome the decline in fuel excise revenue caused by the transition to EVs – in the same way we should welcome declining revenue from cigarette taxes.

Vehicle registration fees make only a modest contribution to road costs. That’s why all motorists should pay a road-user charge. The payment should be based on a combination of vehicle mass and distance travelled

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[–] Hirom@beehaw.org 2 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago) (1 children)

That make sense.

Also, an hybrid vehicle may pollute more if it's never recharged and only use gas. Or less if it's frequently recharged.

So an added benefit of that change would be to get rid of an automatic insentive for hybrid. Taxing gas and fossil fuel is a more direct and efficient insentive. If gas cost more, hybrid owners will recharge more often.

[–] Geobloke@aussie.zone 3 points 11 hours ago (1 children)

Fuel excise makes sense, the more fuel you use the more you've probably driven, the more damage you've contributed to the road. How to make it fair for EV users with out invading individual privacy is harder. Like what should a commuter pay compared to a courier who would do far more kms and relies on the road for the business?

It's going to be unpopular, but as a car lover, I'm happy to pay a carbon tax to keep driving gas guzzlers and have that reinvested into carbon neutrality, whether that's EV subsidies or something else work a better carbon return

[–] Hirom@beehaw.org 1 points 11 hours ago* (last edited 11 hours ago) (1 children)

If a commuter and or courrier drive the same distance on the same road with a similar car, they should contribute the same road toll for maintenance.

A courier should be able to deduct the toll from his income, counting it as a business expense. So it's a bit less of a burden for profesionnals who depend on their vehicle.

There already are mechanisms for this. No need to complicate further.

[–] Geobloke@aussie.zone 1 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

How do you calculate the road toll?

[–] Hirom@beehaw.org 2 points 2 hours ago (1 children)

The article has some suggestions

The payment should be based on a combination of vehicle mass and distance travelled. That’s because damage to roads is overwhelmingly caused by heavy vehicles.

[–] Geobloke@aussie.zone 1 points 1 hour ago

My biggest problem with that is the distance; either the licencing authority has access to our cars position or we self report it. Neither are great options in my opinion