7 REASONS WHY THE VICTORIAN EV & PHEV TAX ON DRIVING DISTANCE IS INSANE

EV Channels Review

John Cadogan vehemently criticizes the Victorian government's Zero and Low Emissions Vehicle (ZLEV) Road User Charge, labeling it the 'worst new vehicle tax in the world.' He presents seven key arguments against the tax, emphasizing that it actively disincentivizes EV and plug-in hybrid adoption, contrary to global trends of incentivization. Cadogan argues that the premise of EVs avoiding fuel excise is flawed, as fuel excise revenue is not significantly impacted by current EV uptake and is projected to increase. He highlights that EV owners already incur higher upfront taxes (GST and stamp duty) and that the total tax burden for EV owners only breaks even with combustion engine equivalents after 24 years. Furthermore, he points out the environmental and national security benefits of EVs, which are undermined by this tax. The implementation of the charge is also criticized as cumbersome and overly burdensome for owners. Cadogan concludes that this tax is a 'world-class plonker' move by the Victorian government, damaging the state's image and hindering progress towards cleaner transportation.