New Jerseyans in the market for electric vehicles will soon need to navigate a shifting set of fees and incentives.
“Customers come in interested in looking for an EV. Their head starts to hurt when the dealer tries to explain to them which vehicles do and which vehicles don't qualify for incentives, and which incentives are and which incentives are not available this week or this month,” said Jim Appleton, president of New Jersey’s Coalition of Auto Retailers.
The fee is dedicated to the state's Transportation Trust Fund, an account used to improve and maintain the state’s roads, bridges and rail systems. Drivers of gas-powered vehicles contribute to this fund through the gas tax, currently at 42.3 cents per gallon. Under the new law, the gas tax is estimated to go up 2 cents annually for the next five years, with rates set based on revenue targets.
As a point of comparison, she cites estimates that the average owner of a Prius Prime — a plug-in hybrid rated for more than 100 mpg — pays about $97 annually under current gas taxes. She said an average owner of the highest-selling car on the road in New Jersey, the Honda CRV, pays $127 in gas taxes.