Congressional Republicans Seek New Tax on Electric Vehicles, Relying on Misleading Figures to Support It | Carscoops

      A Congresswoman's office stated that the average weight of an F-150 is 3,000 lbs, which is inaccurate.

      Congressional Republicans have put forth a two-tier tax proposal on electric vehicles (EVs).

      This proposal includes a flat fee of $1,000 as well as an additional fee of $550 for heavy batteries.

      The documentation backing this legislation is rife with inaccuracies and misleading statements.

      The campaign against EVs persists as Congressional Republicans have introduced new legislation imposing taxes on them. Dubbed the “Fair Share” act, it aims to establish new fees to ensure that electric vehicle owners contribute to infrastructure costs.

      According to the office of U.S. Senator Deb Fischer (R-Neb), gas taxes support the Highway Trust Fund, which finances the construction and upkeep of roads and bridges. Since electric vehicles do not run on gasoline or diesel, they do not pay these fees despite utilizing the same infrastructure.

      Previously, we have seen similar initiatives at the state level, but this is a nationwide initiative aimed at balancing the scales, as the federal gas tax is 18.3 cents per gallon and 24.3 cents for diesel. The proposal suggests a two-tier fee structure that would “impose a one-time fee of $1,000 on all electric vehicles at the manufacturer level, at the point of sale.” This is intended to represent a ten-year lifespan, as “light-duty vehicles with internal combustion engines generally last for about 100,000 miles (160,934 km), which translates to around 10 years.”

      While the average age of a vehicle in the U.S. is 12.6 years, we will set that aside and move on to the second fee. This fee is a one-time charge of “$550 on each battery module weighing more than 1,000 pounds (454 kg).”

      This seeks to penalize EVs, which tend to have larger batteries and are heavier than their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. However, a document released by Fischer’s office contains numerous inaccuracies and misleading claims.

      Specifically, it asserts that the “Ford F-150 Lightning weighs over 6,000 lbs (2,722 kg), while the F-150 with an internal combustion engine averages 3,000 lbs (1,361 kg).” Although the F-150 Lightning has a curb weight ranging from 6,015 lbs (2,728 kg) to 6,893 lbs (3,127 kg), it is far from being twice the weight of the regular F-150.

      In fact, the ICE version weighs between 4,391 lbs (1,992 kg) and 5,950 lbs (2,699 kg). The latter figure is only 65 lbs (29 kg) heavier than the Lightning, and there is no F-150 that even approaches a weight of 3,000 lbs (1,361 kg), let alone an average of that.

      While the weight figure for the F-150 was outright erroneous, Fischer's office continued to promote dubious statistics. In this instance, the document stated, “The Ford EV Mustang weighs nearly 5,000 lbs (2,268 kg), while a Ford Mustang with an internal combustion engine weighs 3,500 lbs (1,588 kg).”

      These figures are misleading since the 2024 Mustang Mach-E weighs between 4,595 lbs (2,084 kg) and 4,979 lbs (2,258 kg). Conversely, the traditional Mustang weighs between 3,588 lbs (1,627 kg) and 3,993 lbs (1,811 kg).

      Here, it seems that Fischer’s office selectively chose figures – opting for the lightest regular Mustang and the heaviest Mustang Mach-E – without acknowledging an important distinction. The Mustang Mach-E is classified as a crossover, while the regular Mustang comes as a coupe and convertible. Comparing their weights is thus meaningless.

      Regardless, Fischer issued a statement asserting, “EVs can weigh up to three times as much as gas-powered cars, resulting in increased wear and tear on our roads and bridges. It’s only fair that they contribute to the Highway Trust Fund just like other vehicles.”

      Her views were supported by U.S. Senator Cynthia Lummis (R-Wyo.), who said, “EV drivers utilize our highways just as much as gas-powered vehicles, yet they are currently exempt from contributing to the Highway Trust Fund because the Biden administration aimed to appease its radical climate change supporters. The era of affluent individuals in their pricey EVs enjoying a free pass is over; they are contributing to the deterioration of our roads and should be required to pay their fair share for repairs like everyone else.”

      In the House outside the Senate, U.S. Representative Dusty Johnson (R-SD) introduced similar legislation. He stated, “The Highway Trust Fund is heading toward insolvency. It’s time to consider substantive changes and ensure EVs pay their fair share to maintain our roads and