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Comment by SavageBeast | Hacker News Reader

"Mileage could be tracked by plugging an electronic device into a vehicle, using a vehicle's built-in tracking system or by simply submitting photos of the vehicle's odometer, according to Caltrans"

That's the question that made me read the article. Just sounds great! What a FABULOUS IDEA!!

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I read the article because I was like “doesn’t this just discourage EV usage” and then discovered that’s the point

I missed the part of the article that laid out the intent to discourage EV usage?

For discussion purposes: what will the funding for highway maintenance be based on when over half the vehicles are electric?

As someone who drives a gas car only seldom, I don't mind paying by mile. Cost in proportion to use. Measuring that is the problem.

The gas tax had usage and efficiency built in and was paid gradually by consumers as they used the gas. EVs change this completely.

1. How to measure usage

2. How to account for efficiency and weight

3. How to not get big bills from accrued usage paid less frequently

For (2) registration being weight per year seems good enough to me, it should just be a lot more, especially if a vehicle is oversized for its axels or license class.

I don't like parked trash and I believe the disposal/recycling process will have environmental impacts proportional to weight in terms of energy, etc.

1 and 3 are important. Efficiency matters not at all for road budgeting. Weight would be good, EVs are heavier than gas equivalents but when a tractor-trailer screws up pavement with its heavy crane load or similar it would be great to recoup that cost.

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