MAINE PUBLIC • April 26, 2023
Electric vehicle owners in Maine could soon be required to pay a new yearly surtax, under a proposal before the Legislature. The measure, sponsored by Democratic Rep. Stanley Zeigler of Montville, would add a $72 yearly surcharge that EV owners would pay when registering their vehicle. Zeigler says those funds would go towards maintaining Maine's roads, and help to offset lost gas tax revenue. The Natural Resources Council of Maine says that the bill could slow down EV adoption in Maine, and urges the state to look at other options for increasing transportation funding. Maine Department of Transportation Deputy Commissioner Nina Fisher says that 31 states have already passed special registration fees for electric vehicles.