A bill signed by Gov. Eric Holcomb that would impose an annual registration fee on owners of electric and hybrid vehicles are leaving electric vehicle enthusiasts unfazed.
“We think it’s really fair,” said Carl Lisek, Executive Director of South Shore Clean Cities. “By the time you add up how much fuel tax that you pay in a conventional gasoline engine, I think it’ll be OK.”
House Bill 1002, sponsored by Rep. Ed Soliday, R-Valparaiso, hiked a variety of taxes and fees as part of the $1.2 billion highway improvement plan geared at improving local and state roads. Starting Saturday Hoosiers will also pay an additional 10 cents per gallon of gasoline to contribute to the roads plan.
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The new law also mandates a $150 registration fee on electric cars, $50 for hybrid and an extra $15 for conventional gasoline vehicles.
Lisek said he does not see this legislation as a measure aimed to dissuade people from purchasing electric vehicles.
“It’s not great. It’s not terrible. It’s just fair,” Lisek said. “I think everybody wants to drive on good roads. We think everybody should pay their fair share for the roads.”
Lisek said he does not think the annual registration fee will prevent people from purchasing electric vehicles.
“I don’t think there’s an electric vehicle enthusiast that doesn’t think they should pay road taxes.”
He added that SSCC will continue working to expose electric vehicles to consumers by partnering with Northern Indiana Public Service Co., Northwestern Indiana Regional Planning Commission and local dealerships to encourage electric vehicle adoption.
In the last two years, Lisek partnered with NIPSCO to install close to 60 electric charging stations in Northwest Indiana as a part of an ongoing sustainability initiative, he said.
There are charging stations located at Horseshoe Casino in Hammond, Purdue University Northwest in Hammond, Wicker Park in Highland and at Hobart’s City Hall building, just to name a few.
Said he’s still working with NIPSCO to connect charging stations along major roads in Northwest Indiana like U.S. 30 and 41.
Although Northwest Indiana roads are not rife with electric cars, the interest in has vehicles has increased over the past few years.
There are roughly 320 electric vehicles on the roads on Northwest Indiana, Lisek said, adding that 70 Nissan LEAFs have been sold in the last three months.
“It’s all about the education and deployment of electric vehicles,” Lisek aid. “We’re going to be doing events across Northern Indiana for the next three years.”
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