ACTION ALERT: Minnesotans might have to pay $450 each year to just own an EV

[Jukka Kukkonen]

Hi,

Unfortunately bills with higher $200 BEV and $100 PHEV fees have reached the MN House and Senate Conference Committees. To make things worse Federal legislators are pushing for an additional $250 annual fee on EVs so if both pass Minnesotans will be paying $450 each year to just own an EV. These efforts are clearly a strong attack towards EVs and we need to do everything we can to oppose them. Our best course of action at this point is to write to Conference Committee members and Governor. We need to act right now because committees start their work this afternoon. You can find below a list of the committee members and a link to send a note to Governor too. Please send an email to all of them separately. You can find a message template below.

Thanks,

Jukka                                                  
Jukka Kukkonen
MN EV Owners coordinator


Representative Koegel (House Transpo Co-Chair) – rep.eri...@house.mn.gov
Representative Koznick (House Transpo Co-Chair) – rep.jon...@house.mn.gov
Representative Olson – rep.bjo...@house.mn.gov
Representative Tabke – rep.bra...@house.mn.gov
Senator Dibble (Senate Transpo Chair) – sco...@mnsenate.gov
Senator Johnston Stewart (Senate Transpo Vice Chair) –sen.ann.joh...@mnsenate.gov
Senator Jasinski –  sen.john...@mnsenate.gov
Senator Carlson – sen.jim...@mnsenate.gov
Senator Clark – sen.dor...@mnsenate.gov

Governor Walz : https://mn.gov/governor/connect/contact-us/contact-form.jsp



Minnesotans might have to pay $450 each year to just own an EV

Dear Minnesota lawmaker,

I am writing to express my deep alarm at the proposed EV fee hike. This is especially worrying as federal lawmakers are now pushing for a $250 fee for EVs. If paired with the state proposed fee hike, Minnesotans would have to pay $450 each year to own a cleaner, healthier vehicle at a time when consumer costs are rising across the board.

While we can’t control federal changes, we can make sure Minnesota doesn’t make a bad situation even worse by passing our own EV fee hike.

Minnesotans have more affordable EV options available – especially used EVs. This fee would be a blow to anyone thinking about getting an EV.

All studies (some links below) show that EVs already pay their fair share towards roadway funding. This fee hike is unfair and doesn’t solve the real issue. A fair approach would be to index the current $75 annual EV tax to gas tax and if we want to increase the funding for roads, we just increase both the same percentage.

For all these reasons, I urge you to reconsider this increase and make sure Minnesotans don’t suffer a double whammy from state EV fee hikes and a federal EV fee.

Sincerely,



Minnesota EV fee studies:
https://betterenergy.org/blog/why-electric-vehicle-taxes-are-the-wrong-strategy-for-minnesota/
https://edocs-public.dot.state.mn.us/edocs_public/DMResultSet/download?docId=34217835

Impacts of the Federal EV fee:
https://www.autoblog.com/news/new-federal-ev-fee-could-cost-owners-more-than-twice-the-average-gas-tax

[Jukka Kukkonen]

UPDATE: There is an opportunity to testify in person tomorrow Friday, May 9 at 1PM, Room 1150 Minnesota Senate Bldg :
“If you wish to offer testimony at this hearing, please email the committee administrator at beth....@mnsenate.gov no later than 9:00am on Friday, May 9 including name, affiliations if any, the provision(s) to be addressed, and whether in favor or opposed. Time per testifier may be limited.
Please email written testimony up to 2 pages to the committee administrator at beth....@mnsenate.gov no later than 9:00am on Friday, May 9.”

Thanks,

 

Jukka

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