Republicans propose taxing EVs at 10x the rate gas cars pay, increasing deficit
House republicans have proposed putting a $200/year federal registration tax on EVs, with the false rationale that it will help to close a supposed budget shortfall that has in fact been caused by Congress’ refusal to raise the federal gas tax since 1993.
The proposal was announced by the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, chaired by Sam Graves (R-MO), who received $163,300 in bribes from the oil & gas industry in the last campaign cycle.
It proposes a massive tax hike on the nation’s electric vehicles, not just increasing taxes on those cars far beyond what is reasonable by any measure, but also adding yet another abusive tax on EVs that is yet again higher than the tax that polluting, damaging gas vehicles have to pay.
We’ve already seen these ridiculous laws pass state by state, and every one we’ve seen has been abusive or overpriced in some way.
In many states, EVs not only have to pay a registration tax far in excess of the amount a similarly-efficient gas vehicle would have to pay, they also have to pay taxes on the energy going into that EV.
Some are particularly abusive, like in Kentucky, where EVs are charged two taxes where gas cars only pay one (or, in some cases where utility services are taxed, three separate taxes). But all of them that we’ve seen so far are one-size-fits-all measures which do not account for road damage, do not account for vehicle efficiency, and do little to nothing to fill any budget shortfalls.
Rather than going for fairness and actually calculating the amount of road use that any given EV does, and attempting to charge a fair fee based on that (as one might rightly do with a weight/mileage fee, applied to all vehicles, as Washington state kind of tried to do), these taxes instead just add a large penalty to EV drivers in order to disincentivize EV ownership. No wonder, given that the push for them started with the Koch brothers, who became billionaires by poisoning you with their oil and gas products and have then spent those proceeds lobbying to ensure that they continue to be able to poison you further.
But now House republicans want to add yet another tax, meaning that EVs nationwide would have to pay not only taxes on the energy that goes into the car (at least in regions where electricity is taxed), but also both state and federal registration taxes. And the number associated with that tax is just as insane as you might expect out of this current Congress.
The $200/year tax hike is equivalent to the federal gas taxes that would be paid on 1,087 gallons of gasoline. With most EVs being quite efficient and achieving something on the order of 120MPGe, the amount of energy from those 1,087 gallons of gasoline would be enough to pilot those EVs over a hundred thousand miles in a year. Quite a bit more than the average driver. You may claim that efficiency isn’t a fair way to figure these taxes, but that’s how they’re figured on gas cars, entirely, so if it’s fair for them then why isn’t it fair for EVs?
Even if we were to give the EV a handicap and pretend that it’s the same efficiency as the average gas-powered vehicle (it’s not), a 24mpg vehicle would have to drive over 26,000 miles in order to pay that much in gas tax, which, again, is much higher than the average driver.
But if we claim it only has to do with road damage caused, and not with efficiency (despite that that’s how the gas tax is levied), then we must look at what actually causes road damage: big trucks. A heavy duty tractor-trailer loaded to 80,000lbs does 9,600x as much road damage as a 4,000lb automobile, and these trucks tend to run higher average mileage.
If a truck does 10,000x as much damage and runs 5x as many miles as the average EV, then a road usage fee of $10 million a year must be fair, right? And if you balk at that number, then you must also balk at a $200/year registration fee. (Not to mention, in most states, gas taxes don’t pay for a majority of road costs anyway).
So regardless of the method we go about figuring fairness, this tax is too high. Unsurprising, from a bought-and-paid oil stooge like Graves.
Graves’ release goes on to state the sort of nonsense you might expect from a recipient of bribes from the oil industry, claiming that the purpose of this tax is to make up for a budget shortfall which he blames on electric vehicles (nevermind that it started to come about well before EVs showed up on the US’ roads). In his desperate quest for justifications for his massive tax hike, though, he fails to mention that the federal gas tax has not been raised since 1993, when it was set at the 18.4 cents that it remains at today.
As costs of just about everything have gone up since then, strangely, the gas tax hasn’t increased – if it kept up with inflation, it would be around 40 cents today. So that’s 32 years worth of free ride that gas cars have gotten on roads, with their taxes gradually decreasing relative to the inflated dollar.
I wonder if that might contribute to any sort of shortfall, and not the roughly 1.4% of the US vehicle fleet that runs on electricity?
But, hey, I guess if we need to raise funds, we can surely milk a lot more out of those ~4 million EVs (times $200/year, that’s less than a billion dollars) than we can out of the ~290 million gas cars on the road (a single penny increase in the federal gas tax would increase federal revenue by twice the amount the proposed EV tax will – and if it was indexed to the level of inflation, it would raise more like $30 billion this year).
Add another failure of simple math to this proposal, but tack on a mark of cowardice for targeting a smaller group who won’t complain as much, and who won’t rock the boat of the industry responsible for your political bribes, Mr. Graves.
The document goes on to betray its lack of interest in good governance or basic math and to show that it is motivated by partisanship and an attempt to buoy gasoline vehicles, not budgetary concerns.
For example, it talks about the “wasteful” spending of President Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act (IRA). But here’s the rub: the IRA was actually revenue-positive, reducing the federal government deficit by $90 billion over 10 years. That differs from the current republican House budget, which Graves supports, and which will increase the deficit by $6 trillion in a decade.
So much for caring about the deficit, but math never got in the way of good propaganda from Graves’ oil industry benefactors.
But, well, there’s one thing I neglected to discuss. Graves’ proposal also does propose a registration fee on gas vehicles… so it’s being fair, right?
Well, not quite, because the proposed tax on gas vehicles would be $20 per year, compared to the ten times higher EV tax of $200 per year, despite that both vehicles have similar effect on roads. The gas vehicle registration fee would only start in 2031, seemingly giving gas vehicles a free ride until then… but in fact the $20 fee would represent a decrease in total taxes paid by gas cars, because the suggestion is that the $20 fee should replace the gas tax, which Graves refers to as “broken” (perhaps because it hasn’t been raised in over 30 years, hmm?).
So it turns out we didn’t even have to do that math above about how these EV fees are unfair – because Graves is telling us, right out, that he wants to tax EVs at ten times the rate of gas cars.
Note that $20/yr would represent about a 4-5x decrease in tax paid per gas vehicle, compared to current levels, which means that government revenue would drop by a similar amount, while costs for construction are likely to continue to go up. This means that the deficits related to spending to fix the US’ broken infrastructure would increase drastically – but then again, we already know from their budget proposal that republicans love deficits.
What is perhaps most surprising is that one of the top supporters of the republican party that has proposed this massive tax hike on electric vehicles and giveaway to gas cars is Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, the largest EV company in America.
Musk gave, and continues to give, hundreds of millions of dollars of his own money, most of which came from his company that sells electric vehicles, to the party that wants to put disproportionately high taxes on those EVs. This does not seem particularly productive to Tesla’s mission, but it’s not the first bad business decision we’ve seen from him lately as he seems to have forgotten about that mission.
If Graves, or the republicans, or anyone wanted to actually solve this problem, the actual fairest solution remains a mileage tax on all vehicles, scaling significantly based on the weight of the vehicle involved (at least partially recognizing the fourth power law that makes heavier vehicles worse on roads); and a separate fee to account for the unpriced externalities of pollution created by vehicles, relative to the amount that each vehicle creates and the costs they foist on the populace – as proposed in the past by old guard republican leadership, along with basically every economist and Elon Musk himself.
To reduce your carbon footprint and live more sustainably, consider going solar. EnergySage is a free service that connects you with trusted, reputable installers in your area – without having to give up your phone number until you select an installer. Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way through EnergySage. Get started today! – ad*
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The Anthbot Genie 3000 brings automated mowing tech to your backyard without the need for old-fashioned perimeter wires. It has GPS-grade precision and AI-powered vision, and I got to check out how well it works. With a mix of impressive strengths and a few growing pains, it’s a compelling entrant in the smart‑lawn space worth a closer look.
Setup and specs
There are a few models in the lineup, ranging from $699 to $1,399. I was testing the larger battery version since my parents have some land, and the extra battery makes quicker work of larger plots.
Unboxing the Genie, you’ll find the mower, charging base, RTK GPS station with pole (the mushroom-looking thing), power cables, spare blades, tools, and a quick‑start guide. Unlike some electronics I’ve set up, the quick start guide was actually really well laid out and useful.
The three models in the Genie line:
- 600 – up to ~600 m² (0.22 acres)
- 1000 – up to ~2,000 m² (0.49 acres)
- 3000 – up to ~3,600 m² (0.89 acres)
The 3000 bumps up the battery to 10 Ah, but they all share the same core specs: a 20 cm (7.9 “) cutting width, adjustable electric deck height (30–70 mm or 1.25 to 2.75 inches), IPX6 waterproofing, and the ability to handle steep slopes, though my Florida testing didn’t exactly put the hill-climbing claims to the test.
Navigation and mapping
This is where the Genie shines. The combo of full‑band RTK GPS plus four AI‑driven cameras enables wire‑free navigation. That means no boundary cables, freeing the mower from the biggest problem with old-fashioned alternatives. Instead, GPS-based boundaries set the limits and your mower is free to do its thing without worrying about a boundary wire breaking one day and your mower making a run for the county line.
Mowing occurs in mostly clean, straight lines, avoiding the chaotic randomness older robot mowers often exhibited. It did seem to have a few areas where it missed on the first run, though it actually went back and got them (mostly), and that got better on subsequent mowing sessions.
Obstacle avoidance is solid. Within its 300° camera field, it claims to detect upwards of 1,000 common objects, sidestepping everything from garden hoses to pets. For me, the occasional potted plant or other obstruction in the yard was pretty easy for the robot to spot.
There are even headlights that seemed quite bright at night (and the very quiet electric mowing meant that it doesn’t disturb anyone when mowing at night).
App and smart features
The Genie app is used for setup and lets you define many different mowing zones, draw no‑go zones, tweak cutting height, schedule operations, and monitor battery and progress live, even when you’re away. During setup, I did find that I had to move the mower closer to my router for it to successfully update its firmware, but afterwards it was fine just stealing some signal that leaked out the walls of the house. I guess for the bigger download, it wanted the stronger signal closer to the router.
There are also anti‑theft features, including device‑binding to your Wi‑Fi and account, and a PIN lock so that someone else can’t just take and use your robot. That may be a concern if you live in an area with lots of neighbors, but out in the boonies, I don’t think anyone is looking for robo-mowers.
Performance and real-world use
The first thing that impressed me about the Genie is how quiet it is. They say it runs at about 58–66 dB, whisper-quiet under normal conditions. You can literally hear the individual grass blades being cut – something I’ve never heard before in all my gasoline-powered mowing years.
The battery seems to last for around 450 to 500 m2 of mowing, or around 3-4 hours, depending on how thick the grass is in that section. Then it returns home to recharge and starts up again where it left off. The mowing width might seem hilariously narrow, just 7.9 inches. But since you’re not actually the one mowing, it doesn’t really matter. My robotic vacuum also has a very narrow vacuum width, but I’m not the one walking around vacuuming, so what do I care? The passes all seem straight and good-looking, so you still get the nice lawn stripes look, though they’re a bit narrower.
The robot performs quite well, and it fulfills my goal which was to make it easier on my 70-year-old parents. It’s not perfect at edging, but if my dad can do 3 minutes of cleaning up along the fence line once in a while instead of an hour of lawn mowing, that’s a major improvement for him.
I don’t know how long these little razor-style blades will last, though they’re pretty cheap and easy to swap out. And I do wish the company made the cable longer between the RTK mushroom and the mower’s base station, so you can get the RTK out a bit further if you need it, but I found a spot that seemed to work for optimal signal for me.
I would say that the Genie 3000 is great for anyone who wants an easy setup process and wire-free operation. There’s no boundary wire to install or to check for breaks. It just works (as long as you have a clear view to the sky for the satellites). But if you’re trying to mow several acres, this little guy probably isn’t the one for you. Anything up to around 3/4 of an acre is where it will shine.
Now I just need to find something that can handle several acres in the pasture behind the backyard…
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
A new review of US Energy Information Administration (EIA) data by the SUN DAY Campaign reveals that solar delivered almost 9% of US electricity in the first half of 2025. Wind and solar combined produced just over one-fifth of the country’s electricity, while renewables as a whole hit nearly 28%.
Solar’s record-breaking growth
EIA’s latest monthly Electric Power Monthly report (with data through June 30, 2025) confirms that solar kept its streak as the fastest-growing major source of US electricity. In June 2025 alone, solar soared. Utility-scale solar power plants cranked out 30.1% more electricity than in June 2024, while rooftop and other small-scale solar systems grew by 10.5%. Combined, solar generation jumped 25% year-over-year and made up 10.2% of US electricity that month.
Looking at the first six months of 2025, utility-scale solar expanded by 37.6%, and small-scale systems rose 10.7%. Together, they grew nearly one-third (29.7%) compared to the same period in 2024. That meant solar provided 8.7% of all US electricity in January-June, up from 6.9% the year before.
That’s a milestone: Solar is now producing almost 45% more electricity than hydropower (6.0%), and it’s generating more than hydropower, biomass, and geothermal combined.
Wind is still a front-runner
Wind turbines supplied 11.6% of US electricity in the first half of 2025 — a 2.4% boost compared to the same time in 2024. Wind’s output was almost double hydropower’s contribution.
Wind + solar are beating coal and nuclear
Together, wind and solar accounted for 20.3% of total US electricity in the first half of 2025, up from 18.6% last year. That’s a bigger share than coal or nuclear. In fact, wind and solar generated 25% more electricity than coal and 15.6% more than nuclear over the same period.
Renewables overall are surging
All renewable sources combined – wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, and geothermal – generated 27.7% of US electricity from January through June 2025, up from 26.1% a year ago. Their output grew three times faster than total US electricity generation overall (9.2% vs. 3.0%). Renewables are now second only to natural gas, whose generation actually dropped 3.7% in the first half of the year.
Ken Bossong, executive director of the SUN DAY Campaign, added that this growth happened before the passage of the Trump/Republican “megabill,” which could slow future renewable expansion. “Nonetheless, EIA notes that US developers expect half of new electric generating capacity to come from solar in 2025 and another 13% from wind.”
Read more: EIA: Solar outproduced wind for the first time ever in May
The 30% federal solar tax credit is ending this year. If you’ve ever considered going solar, now’s the time to act. To make sure you find a trusted, reliable solar installer near you that offers competitive pricing, check out EnergySage, a free service that makes it easy for you to go solar. It has hundreds of pre-vetted solar installers competing for your business, ensuring you get high-quality solutions and save 20-30% compared to going it alone. Plus, it’s free to use, and you won’t get sales calls until you select an installer and share your phone number with them.
Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisors to help you every step of the way. Get started here.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
The new and improved Hyundai IONIQ 5, or the hot-selling Chevy Equinox EV? Which electric SUV makes the smarter lease? Here’s the rundown.
Over 607,000 electric vehicles were sold in the US in the first half of 2025, thanks to some big discounts. Many automakers are currently offering generous savings, as Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill” is set to end federal EV incentives at the end of September.
According to Cox Automotive’s latest EV Market Monitor report, EV incentives reached a record of nearly $8,500 in June, or about 15% off the average transaction price (ATP).
That’s more than double the incentives offered on gas-powered vehicles. Seven electric vehicles had an ATP below $40,000, including the Chevy Equinox EV. The Equinox EV was the top-selling EV in the price range.
Starting at just $34,995, GM calls it “America’s most affordable 315+ range EV.” The electric Equinox has already propelled Chevy to become the number two EV brand in the US behind Tesla.
Through the first half of the year, the Chevy Equinox EV accounted for nearly a third of GM’s electric vehicle sales. And it could have sold even more. A dealer in California reached out to Electrek, claiming they had to wait over a month to receive Equinox EV models. It’s now on track to be among the top three selling EVs in the US.
Which EV to lease: Chevy Equinox EV or Hyundai IONIQ 5
With leases starting at just $289 per month, it’s no wonder the electric SUV is flying off the lot. The offer is for 24 months with $3,909 due at signing.
Alternatively, you can opt for 0% APR financing for 60 months, which Chevy is offering on all 2025 electric vehicle models.
| 2025 Chevy Equinox EV trim | Starting Price | EPA-estimated Range | Monthly lease Price (August 2025) |
| LT FWD | $34,995 | 319 miles | $289 |
| LT AWD | $40,295 | 307 miles | $351 |
| RS FWD | $45,790 | 319 miles | $416 |
| RS AWD | $49,090 | 307 miles | $453 |
The base 2025 Chevy Equinox EV LT starts at $34,995 with up to 319 miles of range. The interior boasts up to 57.2 cu ft of space and a 17.7″ infotainment screen.
How does it compare to the IONIQ 5? Hyundai has upgraded its best-selling electric SUV with major improvements, including increased range (now up to 318 miles), a revamped interior and exterior, and a built-in NACS port to access Tesla Superchargers.
After cutting lease prices again last month, the new and improved 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 is now listed at just $179 per month.
In some places, such as California and other ZEV states, Hyundai is offering leases starting at as low as $159 per month.
However, that’s for the base SE mode, which has an EPA-estimated driving range of 245 miles. The longer-range IONIQ 5 SE RWD, with 318 miles range, can still be leased for just $199 per month right now. Both offers are for 24 months with $3,999 due at signing.
| 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 Trim | EV Powertrain | Driving Range (miles) | Starting Price* | Monthly lease price August 2025 |
| IONIQ 5 SE RWD Standard Range | 168-horsepower rear motor | 245 | $42,500 | $179 |
| IONIQ 5 SE RWD | 225-horsepower rear motor | 318 | $46,550 | $199 |
| IONIQ 5 SEL RWD | 225-horsepower rear motor | 318 | $49,500 | $209 |
| IONIQ 5 Limited RWD | 225-horsepower rear motor | 318 | $54,200 | $309 |
| IONIQ 5 SE Dual Motor AWD | 320-horsepower dual motor | 290 | $50,050 | $249 |
| IONIQ 5 SEL Dual Motor AWD | 320-horsepower dual motor | 290 | $53,000 | $259 |
| IONIQ 5 XRT Dual Motor AWD | 320 horsepower dual motor | 259 | $55,400 | $359 |
| IONIQ 5 Limited Dual Motor AWD | 320-horsepower dual motor | 269 | $58,100 | $299 |
Hyundai is also throwing in a complimentary ChargePoint Level 2 home charger with the purchase or lease of a new 2025 IONIQ 5. All IONIQ 5 trims are listed with 1.99% APR financing for up to 60 months.
The 2025 Hyundai IONIQ 5 offers up to 59.3 cu ft of cargo space with a dual 12.3″ driver display and infotainment system setup.
Both the Hyundai IONIQ 5 and Chevy Equinox EV are hard to pass up right now, with lease prices expected to be as low as they will ever be.
Looking to snag the savings while they last? You can use our links below to find offers on the Chevy Equinox EV and Hyundai IONIQ 5 near you.
FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Sports2 years agoButton battles heat exhaustion in NASCAR debut
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment11 months agoHere are the best electric bikes you can buy at every price level in October 2024