The state’s proposed per-mile tax trial raises concerns about privacy, long-distance commutes, and who ultimately foots the bill
California has set an ambitious goal of reaching carbon neutrality by 2045. That path runs straight through mass electric vehicle adoption, which means saying goodbye to traditional gas-powered cars, and with them, a major chunk of how the state pays for its roads.
With gas tax revenue poised to shrink, officials are now exploring a new alternative: a per-mile road tax for EV drivers.
Also: Plug-In Hybrid And EV Drivers Face Pay-Per-Mile Tax In The UK
As it stands, approximately 80 percent of California’s road maintenance budget is funded through a gas tax. For every gallon pumped at the station, around 61 cents goes toward keeping the state’s vast network of highways, freeways, and local roads in working order.
How Will EVs Pay Their Share?
Obviously, as more and more people shift to EVs, this revenue stream will slowly dry up. This is where the road tax could come into play. California recently completed a pilot program for a road tax earlier this year, charging EV owners between 2 and 4 cents for every mile that they drive.
In theory, it’s a straightforward way to recover the funds needed for upkeep without relying on fossil fuels. But implementation may be anything but simple.
For one, it could end up costing quite a bit to set up and run. For another, drivers who rack up serious mileage, often those in rural areas or with long commutes, might bear the brunt of the expense.
As noted by Fox 26 News, a commuter traveling daily between Hanford and Fresno could face around $11 a week under the proposed system. Multiply that over a month or a year, and it becomes a noticeable new cost for people who may not have easy alternatives.
Then there’s the question of how the state would monitor each vehicle’s mileage. One proposed method involves installing a tracking device that plugs into the car and logs the miles traveled.
That could get expensive fast, especially if it needs to be rolled out across every EV on California’s roads. And even if the technology is viable, it brings up a different kind of cost, one to driver privacy.
Read: California EV Drivers Now Risk A $490 Fine Under New Rules
Many Californians would likely have reasonable concerns about being monitored so directly, especially if the data is handled by third parties or used beyond just tax purposes. Balancing effective tracking with individual privacy rights could prove to be a sticking point.
According to David Kline from the California Taxpayers Association, the logic behind the tax is simple: “Someone’s got to pay for the roads,” he said. “It should be the people who use the roads.”
However, he is concerned that the road tax could end up “switching the burden to different people,” questioning whether some of those who have to drive long distances can afford the new tax. That tension between fairness and practicality remains unresolved as the state weighs its next move.
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Brad Anderson’s lifelong affair and fascination with cars started young. Before even graduating high school,… Read full bio

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