Volts pay Washington EV tax

6907 Views 20 Replies 14 Participants Last post by quirkySquirt, Dec 19, 2016

voganni

Discussion Starter · Dec 14, 2016

I got the registration renewal for Hal a couple weeks ago, and it was same as last year, and same as my other car, a Camry Hybrid. But when we went to license it, the computer said we owed another $150! I guess the state is too embarrassed to put this on the registration so you know? The lady at the office thought it was outrageous and a mistake, and tried to call Olympia. System was down. Unfortunately I'm afraid we owe it as of July, 2016. Found a post by another forum member. You can count on Washington to nick you for everything they can.

1 - 20 of 21 Posts

Hughes

· #2 · Dec 14, 2016

I'd be curious to know what this other tax is? Since the Volt isn't allowed the sales tax incentive as it's not an EV only. It states on this PDF that the Volt is exempt, that the tax is for those EV only. "The $100 registration renewal fee does NOT apply to a plug-in hybrid electric Vehicle (PHEV) such as the Chevy Volt"

http://www.westcoastgreenhighway.com/pdfs/WA_EV_registration_renewal_$100_fee.pdf

jsmay311

· #3 · Dec 14, 2016 (Edited)

Straight from the (gov't) source:

http://app.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=46.17.323

RCW 46.17.323
Electric vehicle registration renewal fees.
(1) Before accepting an application for an annual vehicle registration renewal for a vehicle that both
(a) uses at least one method of propulsion that is capable of being reenergized by an external source of electricity and
(b) is capable of traveling at least thirty miles using only battery power,
the department, county auditor or other agent, or subagent appointed by the director must require the applicant to pay a one hundred dollar fee in addition to any other fees and taxes required by law. The one hundred dollar fee is due only at the time of annual registration renewal.
(2) This section only applies to a vehicle that is designed to have the capability to drive at a speed of more than thirty-five miles per hour.

There's stuff all over the internets saying the Volt is exempt, but it appears that changed in 2016: http://gm-volt.com/forum/showthread...-tax-exemptions-on-Volt&p=2618282#post2618282

climbbike

· #4 · Dec 14, 2016

Yep. Thirty miles or more in ev mode and you pay. Really sucks.

jsmay311

· #5 · Dec 14, 2016

climbbike said:
Yep. Thirty miles or more in ev mode and you pay. Really sucks.

However, I also read in that WA recently expanded their EV sales tax exemption to include the Volt. They changed the rules to include PHEV/EREV's with 30+ mile range, and also raised the sales price cap from $35k to $42k (I guess this might come into play with a a well-optioned Volt without many discounts).

One article said the sales tax exemption is worth $2600-$3100, depending on the local sales tax rate. So taking these 2 changes together, I'd happily pay $150/year if it meant saving $3k up front.

voganni

Discussion Starter · #6 · Dec 14, 2016

And if you read further down the senate bill, there's another $50 added to the $100! My complaint is that $150 WAS NOT listed on the renewal form I got in the mail. So we get the check all made out, go to the license place, and get the big surprise. There's lots of postings of the previous law on the 'net. In 2015 the law changed to EXEMPT Volts from the state sales tax on the first $35k of purchase price, then penalize them with the $150 EV tax.

rdunniii

· #7 · Dec 14, 2016

Gee, I don't think I have ever gotten 30 miles battery only on my 2012 so I guess mine would be exempt - if I lived in Washington.

bjrosen

· #8 · Dec 14, 2016

Washington is really screwing EV drivers. $150 is the Washington gas tax on 300 gallons which is over 12,000 miles in a Volt. I've never driven more than 10,000 miles in a year and only 52% of my miles are electric so if I lived in Washington they would be overcharging me by 240% as much as an ICE driver. I thought Washington was a green state, apparently not.

novaks47

· #9 · Dec 14, 2016

Oh they're "green" alright, just like California. Green being the color money of course. I'm surprised road bicycles haven't been taxed yet. Heck, there's more those on our roads every day than Volts, lol. Mind you, I would not agree with or support such a tax, just sayin'.

voganni

Discussion Starter · #10 · Dec 14, 2016

Excellent description of the Washington EV ripoff bjrosen. And further, at my Volt's current 94mpg lifetime mileage, I'd have to drive over 28000 miles to burn up 300 gallons of gas. Many of us poorer folks have waited to buy a nice used Volt as I did. No sales tax exemption on used cars. That $150 fee alone probably makes it more economical to drive a Prius. But I love my Volt, and its not the car's fault that these fees have been enacted. Washington is wanting to move to a miles-based fee system, or a mixture of that and gross weight. Meanwhile, the dollars fly out of the wallet.

Restlessone

· #11 · Dec 14, 2016

Must be a Liberal Gov't, they never saw a tax they didn't like. It was inevitable with gas prices down they would be looking for more sources of revenue. Cutting costs is never on there list.

bro1999

· #12 · Dec 14, 2016

Sorta like what Georgia did....except Georgia added an annual EV tax while at the same time eliminating the $5k EV state rebate! Talk about a double whammy! I don't think Leaf sales have ever recovered.

bjrosen

· #13 · Dec 14, 2016

voganni said:
Excellent description of the Washington EV ripoff bjrosen. And further, at my Volt's current 94mpg lifetime mileage, I'd have to drive over 28000 miles to burn up 300 gallons of gas. Many of us poorer folks have waited to buy a nice used Volt as I did. No sales tax exemption on used cars. That $150 fee alone probably makes it more economical to drive a Prius. But I love my Volt, and its not the car's fault that these fees have been enacted. Washington is wanting to move to a miles-based fee system, or a mixture of that and gross weight. Meanwhile, the dollars fly out of the wallet.

The gas tax is a pretty good approximation of a miles and weight system, the weight of a vehicle is a significant contributor to it's MPG. A miles and weight system for EVs is trivial to implement and it would be fair. The EV miles are already reported to OnStar, if VoltStats can read it then a State could also. The State already knows how heavy your vehicle is because you told them what model car it is when you registered it.

Flux Capacitor

· #14 · Dec 14, 2016 (Edited)

Yeah, except GA went even further. It's $200/year for EVs, no sales exemption (never was), and eliminated the $5K state credit. that's equivalent to a Chevy Silverado for the year. ONLY semi-good thing is that $200 fee is optional for Volts - since technically not an EV. If a Volt wants to ride in the HOV lane, then the $200 applies. go figure. should call it an HOV access tax, not EV tax.

Hughes

· #15 · Dec 15, 2016

Curious is there a website that contains information on each state's *penalty* or added charge and how much each year for owning an EV?

Norton

· #16 · Dec 15, 2016

climbbike said:
Yep. Thirty miles or more in ev mode and you pay. Really sucks.

How goofy...

Now the new Prius Prime slips into this loop hole in WA.
Just like the old Plug-in-Prius with its 6 mile EV range was designed expressly to fit into the CA. HOV sticker loophole.

Is Toyota messing with us?

donstim

· #17 · Dec 15, 2016

First I have even heard that this was in effect. I just renewed my WA registration online a couple of weeks ago and did not get hit with this fee. Glad I did it online.

quirkySquirt

· #18 · Dec 15, 2016

While researching the Volt vs WA incentives, I was aware of the $150/yr fee. Hoping I can get away with not paying it like donstim did by renewing online.

I did benefit, however, from the sales tax exemption (up to I think $30k of sale price, and I paid sales tax on remaining $2k of the price). So I guess the annual $150 fee is covered by the $3200 I saved in sales tax for the next 21 years.

MarkMessinger

· #19 · Dec 15, 2016

Washington State will soon begin to test-drive charging drivers by the mile. More information is at https://waroadusagecharge.org/

jsmay311

· #20 · Dec 15, 2016

quirkySquirt said:
I did benefit, however, from the sales tax exemption (up to I think $30k of sale price, and I paid sales tax on remaining $2k of the price). So I guess the annual $150 fee is covered by the $3200 I saved in sales tax for the next 21 years.

Exactly. Although that doesn't help anyone who bought a Volt before the sales tax exemption was expanded.

Restlessone said:
It was inevitable with gas prices down they would be looking for more sources of revenue.

Like many states, Washington's gasoline tax is a flat per-gallon amount and they don't charge (percentage-based) sales tax on it. So, if anything, a lower price of gas increases consumption and leads to higher gas tax revenues.

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