Montana is hammering out an electric vehicle fee structure that supports highway repair and maintenance in place of traditional fuel tax.
On April 19, Montana Governor Greg Gianforte signed a bill into law that establishes an annual charge for resident electric vehicles based on weight.
Sponsor Republican Representative Denley Loge of St. Regis spoke at a committee hearing in March: “The revenue as I say goes into the gas tax fund, and so we get some road-use fees paid out of the electric vehicles.”
Gov. Gianforte vetoed a similar bill in 2021 after determining the fees were too high. A spokesperson with the governor’s office says the legislation this year adopts competitive fees that are in line with other states.
According to a bill fiscal note, as of January 2022 there were nearly 3,000 EVs in Montana with the majority assumed to weigh less than 6,000 pounds.
The owner of a fully electric vehicle less than 6,000 pounds, like a Tesla Model Y, would pay an annual fee of $130 in addition to regular registration. The owner of a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in the same weight category would pay $70.
The law goes into effect July 1.
The legislature is also considering a bill to establish a tax on electric vehicle charging stations to collect revenue from out-of-state travelers. House Bill 55 passed out of a senate committee Tuesday and heads next to the Senate floor.
