Summary
Oregon might become the second state in the U.S. to require electric vehicle (EV) owners to pay per mile driven, joining Hawaii. The state needs to address a $300 million gap in its transportation budget. This proposed road usage fee aims to make up for decreasing gas tax revenues as more people use electric and fuel-efficient cars.
Key Facts
- Oregon is considering a mandatory pay-per-mile program for EV drivers due to a $300 million budget shortage.
- The state’s budget issues partly stem from reduced gas tax income and inflation.
- Hawaii was the first state to implement a mandatory road usage charge for EVs in 2023.
- Oregon currently has voluntary road usage charge programs like Utah and Virginia.
- Under the proposed Oregon plan, EV drivers could choose to pay per mile or a flat annual fee starting in 2027.
- Concerns about privacy and discouraging EV purchases are linked to road usage charges.
- Oregon has over 84,000 registered electric vehicles, which is about 2% of all vehicles in the state.
- Privacy worries include issues with GPS and data security, which the state addresses by deleting mileage data soon after payments.
