151–160 of 173 posts
Guessing the plan is that as EV charging replaces petrol purchases, they can reposition into the quick-meal market.
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My point is that there's no reason to tax them more than gas cars. Gas cars create FAR more negative externalities. I'm not saying they shouldn't be taxed at all; sorry if you got that impression.
EVs tend to weigh more and cause a higher degree of microplastic emission and road wear. HN is usually happy to remind everyone that the damage a vehicle causes to a road scales with the fourth power of its weight. A Tesla model 3 is about triple the wear on the road surface compared to a Toyota Camry.
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My point is that there's no reason to tax them more than gas cars. Gas cars create FAR more negative externalities. I'm not saying they shouldn't be taxed at all; sorry if you got that impression.
Are they being taxed more? Or is it that with gas cars, most of the tax is paid outside of registration, when they're refueled, whereas EVs only pay the taxes at registration time, and thus end up paying their share up front instead of over time?
Though it’s actually about 35,000 miles. I did the math wrong.
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My point is that there's no reason to tax them more than gas cars. Gas cars create FAR more negative externalities. I'm not saying they shouldn't be taxed at all; sorry if you got that impression.
ICEs aren't taxed to punish their externalities, but to finance roads. Suffice it to say that if all cars magically became EVs something in the tax code would have to change to pay for road maintence.
1. Whether the commercial nuclear fusion is gonna be invented
2. Whether the new type of battery is gonna be invented by then
Earlier quoted context omitted.
EVs tend to weigh more and cause a higher degree of microplastic emission and road wear. HN is usually happy to remind everyone that the damage a vehicle causes to a road scales with the fourth power of its weight. A Tesla model 3 is about triple the wear on the road surface compared to a Toyota Camry.
The average gas car is an F150, and the average EV is a Model Y. EVs don’t tend to weigh more. And the tire microplastic thing is misinformation with zero evidence. The only evidence we have is the drastically reduced brake wear (and dust) on EVs.
I dont get why we're comparing F150s to the Model Y. When Im looking to buy a truck, Im not considering the Model Y (although In peeved the Ranger isnt hybrid). I have never considered a Tesla (Im not in the market for another sedan) but if I were my comparison would be something like the Accord.
But sure let's compare the F150 to the model Y: back in 2021 - a base F150 weighed about 4000lb, less than a base Model Y and an F150 supercab V6 F150 was Sure, I can configure the F150 to weigh 5500, but few need to and few do. So the point stands:
The Model Y weighs as much as a half ton truck.
Meanwhile a Ford Maverick, a truck Ford can't make enough to meet demand, weighs 3700 lb
[1] https://media.ford.com/content/dam/fordmedia/North%20America...
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ICEs aren't taxed to punish their externalities, but to finance roads. Suffice it to say that if all cars magically became EVs something in the tax code would have to change to pay for road maintence.
True. There would need to be a registration fee of about 100 bucks. The rest is paid for by everyone, driver or not. Gas taxes don’t even come close.
Nowhere close.
In my corner of America the gas tax comes out to be $0.96/gal, or $480/year if you only drive 15k miles and average 30 mpg.
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The average gas car is an F150, and the average EV is a Model Y. EVs don’t tend to weigh more. And the tire microplastic thing is misinformation with zero evidence. The only evidence we have is the drastically reduced brake wear (and dust) on EVs.
Obviously the higher mass and torque of the EV causes more microplastics. This is basic materials science and the reason why EVs need tougher tires. I dont get why we're comparing F150s to the Model Y. When Im looking to buy a truck, Im not considering the Model Y (although In peeved the Ranger isnt hybrid). I have never considered a Tesla (Im not in the market for another sedan) but if I were my comparison would be…
Exactly. Tires are formulated to the load they are designed to carry. It's why semis don't have to make a pit stop every 2 miles for new tires.
But, like I said, brake dust is _far_ worse, and nearly eliminated with EVs:
https://electrek.co/2025/05/27/another-way-electric-cars-cle...
> I dont get why we're comparing F150s to the Model Y.
Because one is the most popular gas car, the other the most popular EV. Removing an engine and adding batteries increases weight, sure, but that doesn't have anything to do with the average weight that's on the road. You have to tax things based on what's actually out there, not what _would_ be out there if you took the existing fleet and turned them EV. Batteries are expensive, so there's incentive not to use so much and make the car smaller and more efficient instead. That doesn't happen with gas cars.
> A long range model Y weighs about a little bit less, but the difference is less than 100 lb.
Yeah, I know. That's all I was saying. You said the average EV weighed more. In fact, it's less.
It is more stark than that, though. The most popular F150 in 2025 is the Lariat SuperCrew, which has a 5300 lb curb weight. The model Y has a curb weight of 4400 pounds.
The next most popular gas car is some Chevy pickup. The next more popular EV is the Model 3.
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True. There would need to be a registration fee of about 100 bucks. The rest is paid for by everyone, driver or not. Gas taxes don’t even come close.
You're not covering for the loss of the gas tax with $100/year registration. Nowhere close. In my corner of America the gas tax comes out to be $0.96/gal, or $480/year if you only drive 15k miles and average 30 mpg.
Federal gas tax is $0.18. Gas registration is $0. New EV registration is $250. Or actually, it's looking like $500 now. That's like you driving your 30 mpg gas car 83,000 miles a year.
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Wait, blinker fluid is actually in stock in Norway? Gotta tell some BMW drivers I know; see if they can get it shipped over.
Just tell them to order it on Amazon ;) https://www.amazon.com/Blinker-Fluid-16oz-Great-Prank/dp/B07...