All-electric vehicles to begin paying special fee in N.C.

RALEIGH, N.C. — Beginning this month, approximately 1,600 all-electric vehicles registered in North Carolina and newly-registered all-electrics will be required to pay a $100 annual fee – that's in addition to other required registration fees, according to the North Carolina Department of Transportation.

The NCDOT said all-electric vehicles are being billed because they do not otherwise pay taxes for road use and maintenance -- vehicles fueled by gasoline pay for road upkeep through gas taxes metered at each fill-up.

According to legislation passed by the N.C. General Assembly in July, owners of "a plug-in electric vehicle that is not a low-speed vehicle and that does not rely on a nonelectric source of power" are required to pay the new fee when they are titled and registered or renewing their registration.

Currently, all-electric vehicles are represented by a handful of manufacturers. They are noted by an "E" fuel type listing on the vehicle's title application. Hybrid vehicles that use a combination of gasoline and electricity are not covered under this requirement.

WSOC