How does Idaho's new Hybrid/EV Car Tax work? (2015, taxi)

[HDTBill]

I see that Idaho has a new "hybrid" ($75/yr) and electric car tax ($150/yr), a modest fee to make up for road taxes. Does the hybrid tax impact all hybrids, or just plugin hybrids? I could not tell from the language of the draft bill. In other words, what's the definition of a hybrid for the purpose of the new law?

[volosong]

A quick Google search only shows news reports from last April. It appears to apply to all hybrids. Dang. That means my SUV hybrid will be hit. Not sure if HB-260 is the bill you are referring to. In it, they say the add-on fee is $120/$65, (electric/hybrid). Can you provide you source?


HB-260 (http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/leg...2015/H0260.pdf) says:

"Hybrid vehicle" means a motor vehicle with a hybrid propulsion system that operates on both an alternative fuel, including electricity, and traditional fuel.

[HDTBill]

Thank you!
Legally I would say a regular Hybrid uses 100% gasoline fuel, but I agree with you it looks like Idaho is taxing all Hybrids.
We went thru this in Virginia and we stopped the hybrid fee after 1-yr. In Va. our definition of hybrid was quite wide, so we had some gas guzzlers called hybrids nonetheless owing an extra Hybrid fee. IMHO it's not really fair to discriminate and tax a hybrid more if it uses 100% gaso fuel. I suppose it might be valid to tax based on vehicle MPG, but I don't prefer that either. EV of course is different story.

My orig source was this article says $75/yr after that I just did Google ...not much detail out there
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/...e-state/page-2

Some tricks we had in Va. if it helps (probably too late) but we registered 3-yrs ahead at the old rates to avoid the fees.

[HDTBill]

Originally Posted by volosong

A quick Google search only shows news reports from last April. It appears to apply to all hybrids. Dang. That means my SUV hybrid will be hit.

Volosong - I don't usually visit Idaho page so let me just say from Virginia experience taxing 100% gasoline hybrids does not work well. Although some hybrids get 50 MPG, some get less than 25 MPG.

I believe most of the state Auto Dealer Associations do not agree that 100% gasoline fuel hybrids should be taxed extra. At least in Va. after the auto dealer assoc. got wind of it, the hybrid fee later got removed (EV fee stayed).

To be fair, any rule would have to be "technology neutral" and just say, for example, any vehicle over 25 MPG gets an extra fee pro-rated by MPG. But nobody is doing that yet either. It would be hard to structure that fairly....maybe it could be done.

Interestingly the new Federal Highway Bill (pending could be delayed for months) apparently attempts to give states guidance on this matter. My understanding the bill proposes that yes the states can go ahead and set a modest fee on Electric Vehicles. As far as I know, the new Highway Bill does not suggest 100% gasoline hybrids should be taxed.