Consumer Reports - USA (2020-02)

GAS TAXES, which fund about

30 percent of transportation

spending in the U.S., don’t apply

to electric-vehicle owners for

a simple reason: EVs don’t use

gas. As the number of EVs in

use rises, many legislatures are

considering extra fees to make

sure all vehicle owners help

pay for road maintenance. But

in the 19 states shown above,

existing and proposed EV fees

are rising to a level much higher

than the annual gas tax would

be for the average new car

in 2020 in those same states.

MAP OF

THE MONTH

WHICH

STATES

HAVE THE

HIGHEST

EV FEES?

“EVs can still save drivers money,

but people should be able to

choose a vehicle that’s safe,

reliable, and better for the envi-

ron ment without being punished

with higher fees,” says Shannon

Baker-Branstetter, manager of

cars and energy policy at CR.

CRInsights

10 20 03 40 50

POOR EXCELLENT

! 0

RECOMMENDED

CR Time Traveler AIR TRAVEL

WASHINGTON

37%

KANSAS

17%

OKLAHOMA

74%

MISSOURI

15% EXISTING

185% PROPOSED

PENNSYLVANIA

15%

TEXAS

142%

ARKANSAS

132%

MISSISSIPPI

100%

ALABAMA

80%

IDAHO

21%

NORTH

DAKOTA

45%

MINNESOTA

112%

OHIO

36%

WEST

VIRGINIA

37%

NEW

HAMPSHIRE

18%

ARIZONA

191%

WYOMING

130%

NORTH

CAROLINA

61%

PERCENT HIGHER

THAN GAS TAX

1-50% higher

51-100% higher

101-150% higher

151-200% higher

EXISTING EV FEES

PROPOSED

EV FEES

Our map was made

in partnership

with Resource Media.

1941 A well-made suitcase with top-

grain leather should cost about $10,

CR advises. Any less and you may get

split or inferior-grade leather.

1965 Hampered by government

regulation, airlines compete on

frills, not fares: Braniff’s Pucci-clad

flight attendants change uniforms

three times during the flight to

entice passengers to fly.

1957 Our testers roll women’s

“weekend cases” and men’s two-suiters

down a 25-foot-long inclined track until

they hit a rigid bumper, then assess

damage. The most common failures are

bent closure rims, as well as open latches.

1966 Our testers line up

suitcases to be weighed and

measured before testing. We say

the handle of a loaded suitcase

should withstand 25,000 pickups,

but some break well before that.

1929 Delta operates its first

passenger flight, from Dallas

to Jackson, Miss.

GEORGIA

48%

14 CR.ORG FEBRUARY 2020