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New Washington State BEV registration fee

Discussion in 'Prime Main Forum (2017-2022)' started by Marine Ray, Oct 1, 2019.

  1. Marine Ray

    Marine Ray Senior Member

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  2. PT Guy

    PT Guy Senior Member

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    Revised Code of Washington 46.17.324

    RCW 46.17.324: Transportation electrification fee.

    Transportation electrification fee.
    To realize the environmental benefits of electrification of the transportation system it is necessary to support the adoption of electric vehicles and other electric technology in the state by incentivizing the purchase of these vehicles, building out the charging infrastructure, developing greener transit options, and supporting clean alternative fuel infrastructure. Therefore, it is the intent of the legislature to support these activities through the imposition of new transportation electrification fees in this section.
    (1) 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, is subject to an annual seventy-five dollar transportation electrification fee to be collected by the department, county auditor, or other agent or subagent appointed by the director, in addition to any other fees and taxes required by law. For administrative efficiencies, the transportation electrification fee must be collected at the same time as vehicle registration renewals and may only be collected for vehicles that are renewing an annual vehicle registration.
    (2) Beginning October 1, 2019, in lieu of the fee in subsection (1) of this section for a hybrid or alternative fuel vehicle that is not required to pay the fees established in RCW 46.17.323 (1) and (4), the department, county auditor, or other agent or subagent appointed by the director must require that the applicant for the annual vehicle registration renewal of such hybrid or alternative fuel vehicle pay a seventy-five dollar hybrid vehicle transportation electrification fee, in addition to any other fees and taxes required by law.
    (3) The fees required under this section must be deposited in the electric vehicle account created in RCW 82.44.200, until July 1, 2025, when the fee must be deposited in the motor vehicle account.
    (4) 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.

    RCW 82.44.200
    Electric vehicle account.

    The electric vehicle account is created in the transportation infrastructure account. Proceeds from the principal and interest payments made on loans from the account must be deposited into the account. Expenditures from the account may be used only for the purposes specified in RCW 47.04.350, 82.08.9999, and 82.12.9999, and the support of other transportation electrification and alternative fuel related purposes. Moneys in the account may be spent only after appropriation.

    So...according to the specifications the state has, is the Prime "(b) is capable of traveling at least thirty miles using only battery power"?

    "With up to an EPA-estimated 25-mile EV Mode driving range on a full charge"
    2020 Toyota Prius Prime Plug-In Hybrid | Explore the Possibilities

    I don't think we'll have to pay.
     
  3. farmecologist

    farmecologist Senior Member

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    Well at least it appears that the fee will not be applicable to gasoline hybrids. That is a good sign that they actually thought it through somewhat. (y) Other states...not so much.
     
  4. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    I've been too busy to dig into the details, and my car doesn't renew for another six months. But all the local news I've seen indicates that it does apply to hybrids too. I.e. non-plugin hybrids are now being taxed to help provide plug-in infrastructure they cannot use.

    And for the plug-in cars, this is in addition to the $150/year they are now paying to offset fuel taxes.

    Sticker shock for Washington’s hybrid and electric car owners: $75 fee in their new car-tab bills

    Washington state enacts $75 fee for hybrid, electric cars


    Washington state enacts $75 fee for hybrid, electric cars


    License fees rise for hybrid and electric cars in Washington

    The $75 per vehicle funds new electric charging stations around the state — which hybrids don’t need.
     
    #4 fuzzy1, Oct 7, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 7, 2019
  5. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    I think you do pay. You were exempt under paragraph (1) below, which began in August. But you are snagged by paragraph (2), which began last week.
     
  6. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    The only mention of it that I have found on the Washington State Department of Licensing's website, is two-thirds of the way down this page:

    Renewal and registration fee information

    "Common vehicle fees
    ...
    ...
    ...
    ...
    Transportation electrification fee (for hybrid vehicles) _ _ _ _ _ $75 _ _ _ _ _ Electric Vehicle Account
    RCW 46.17.324 ..."

    There is a link to Calculate your vehicle tab fees, but my renewal is too far in the future so it refuses to give me any information.


     
  7. Marine Ray

    Marine Ray Senior Member

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    In the early days of the gasoline automobile, were there similar fees to build gasoline stations and incentivize new gasoline car purchases? I suspect not.
     
  8. noonm

    noonm Senior Member

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    Not a current resident, but I have lived there previously. For a now, very blue state, its tax structure is actually quite regressive. No income tax, so the state/local governments have to rely on high sales tax, property taxes and expensive fees to balance the budget.

    There is also a nice layer cake of fees you may be subject to, depending on where you live. For example, it could include:
    • State fees
    • County fees
    • Special transportation district fees
    • City fees
    So the $75-$150 fee is often on top of all of those, so the now ~$600/year car tabs is entirely plausible for someone living in the Seattle/Bellevue area.
     
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  9. Deoc

    Deoc Member

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    Here are the actual fees:
    Any car that can travel more than 30 miles on electricity
    Like chevy volt, tesla, leaf etc
    $100 Electric Car Fee
    $50 Electric Car Fee (Added 2016)
    $75 Electric Car Fee (Added Oct 2019)
    $68 Regular Fees
    $293 Total
    Some cities add $20-40 extra depending where u live.
    Seattle residents may have other transit taxes.

    Any hybrid that doesn't pay the electric car fee.
    Prius Plug in, Prime, camry, all prius and any hybrid etc.
    $75 Hybrid Fee
    $68 Regular fees
    $143 Total plus any city taxes.

    Note that this money is no for road tax but to build charging stations, because we all know how efficient the government.
     
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  10. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    King-Pierce-Snohomish counties (Seattle-Tacoma-Everett region) have a Regional Transit Authority fee. For my Forester, now with 6 years of depreciation, it is $147.
     
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  11. CharlesH

    CharlesH CA HOV Decal #5 on former PiP

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    I can understand fees on plug-ins, but even that is questionable for PHEV vehicles like the Prime, which may or may not pay gasoline tax, depending on how they are driven. But I simply cannot understand why non-plugin hybrids should be subject a surcharge. They get all of their energy from burning taxed gasoline; they are just very efficient about it. Some non-hybrids like the Camry get better mileage than many hybrids. So why isn't the 41mpg non-hybrid Camry subject to a surcharge?
     
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  12. Deoc

    Deoc Member

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    They will tax anything for whatever reason, the tax on electric cars isn't for roads but to build charging station, but there is a new proposal I976 that goes out for vote on november, is to reduce all car tabs to $30 and reduce the electric car fee to $30 as well, if you live in washington and can vote make sure to vote yes on I976.
     
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  13. fuzzy1

    fuzzy1 Senior Member

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    Problem is, this is just another Tim Eyeman wrecking ball. His 'career' and primary source of personal income this Century have been getting these sorts of ill-considered proposals on the ballot. "Since 2017 he has been fighting a lawsuit from the State Attorney General alleging mis-use of political funds and failing to report political donations."
     
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  14. noonm

    noonm Senior Member

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    I agree. I voted against Eyman proposals on principle.

    The HEV/PHEV/BEV taxes are stupid, but the proper way to handle them is to get the legislature to reverse them.
     
    #14 noonm, Oct 13, 2019
    Last edited: Oct 13, 2019
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  15. Washingtonian

    Washingtonian Senior Member

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    Just to clarify: It is Initiative Measure No. 976 and the person who proposed it is Tim Eyman. Here is how the summary reads in the State Voter's Pamphlet. "Initiative Measure No. 976 concerns motor vehicle taxes and fees. This measure would repeal, reduce or remove authority to impose certain vehicle taxes and fees; limit annual motor-vehicle license fees to $30, except voter-approved changes; and base vehicle taxes on Kelley Blue Book value. Should this measure be enacted into law? { } Yes { } No
    To me, this is a no brainer and I am voting Yes. I could care less about Tim Eyman's politics, but I am not stupid enough to think that Washington's left-leaning legislature would even think about reversing existing taxes.
     
  16. Marine Ray

    Marine Ray Senior Member

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  17. Marine Ray

    Marine Ray Senior Member

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    From article - "The first place will be state sales tax incentives for purchasing electric vehicles — so any new Clark County EV buyers will certainly benefit from that. 'That’s where most of that $75 (fee) funding goes,' she said."

    This $75 fee is for hybrid and EV owners. Given the aforementoned statement about fee going to state sales tax incentives for purchasing electric vehicles, why not impose $75 fee on ALL vehicle owners?
     
  18. Washingtonian

    Washingtonian Senior Member

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    We will find out after this Tuesday if Initiative 976 passes and we get more reasonable car license fees. However, even if it passes, this $75 penalty for hybrid cars will still be in effect. It was interesting seeing all the sensational TV ads implying that our bridges would collapse and people would die if 976 passes. They just admitted that the picture of the collapsed bridge from about 20 years ago was a bridge that collapsed when an overweight and overheight truck from Canada ran into the support beams on the bridge; not lack of maintenance as was implied.
     
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  19. Washingtonian

    Washingtonian Senior Member

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    Well, it looks like the $30 car tab initiative in Washington has easily passed. It will be interesting to see how the lawsuits will appear to keep it from being enacted. Here is some irony: Fuzzy1 noted that the state's Attorney General has been suing Tim Eyman since 2017 and also came out against the initiative. Guess who is the lawyer that has to defend the initiative against all lawsuits - Our Attorney General as he has to represent the people as they overwhelmingly voted to approve the initiative! Concerning the $75. hybrid fine - that wasn't affected by Initiative 976 so it is still on the books.
     
  20. wjtracy

    wjtracy Senior Member

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    I need a scorecard