Is Georgia about to be the most expensive state to own and charge an EV?

The Georgia legislature, after spending many months learning about electric vehicles (EVs) in a Transportation Electrification Study Committee, is poised to pass a bill that will make Georgia one of the dubious leaders in taxes and fees states put on electric vehicles. 

The Study Committee found that Georgia already had one of the highest EV registration fees in the country (see p 58 of the Study Committees full report) at $211/yr in 2022 (topped only by Michigan at $235). Now, the legislature is poised to pass a bill that would add a ‘gas’ tax at the rate of 3.47 cents per kWh charged at a public charger. Only four states have EV charging fees and this would be the highest rate in the country by nearly half a cent (Kentucky and Oklahoma both charge 3 cents according the study committee report). 

Environment Georgia believes the transition to clean, electric vehicles is crucial. Our analysis of 2020 air quality data found that five regions in Georgia, collectively home to over 7.6 million people, suffered through more than 65 days of elevated air pollution in 2020. More than 2 months of poor air quality a year, especially dangerous to infants, children and people with asthma or other respiratory illnesses, is unacceptable. Much of Georgia’s air pollution comes from the transportation sector. 

We’ve been excited to see Governor Kemp’s efforts to turn Georgia into a real leader in EV and battery manufacturing and recycling.  We hope the Georgia legislature and the Governor will also help encourage Georgia to drive the EV’s we’ll be manufacturing but right now we are sending the wrong signal with some of the highest EV fees and taxes in the nation.

You can send an email to your legislator sharing concern for these proposals through our website here.