This week the state government announced it would be the first in the country to introduce a road user charge for electric vehicles \u2013 a move Adelaide Lord Mayor Sandy Verschoor said was \u201cgobsmacking\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But during Thursday\u2019s Breaking @ 8 segment, FIVEAA\u2019s David Penberthy said the NSW and Tasmanian governments \u2013 as well as \u201cLabor governments elsewhere\u201d \u2013 were considering a similar tax.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAt the moment Australian motorists are paying $49.3 billion in fuel excise over the next four years,\u201d Penbo said. \u201cSo if it\u2019s projected that the growth of electric cars is going to continue over the next decade\u2026 potentially within the next decade you\u2019re looking at $25 billion collapse in revenue into commonwealth coffers, which his university funding, school funding, hospital funding.<\/p>
\u201cWe\u2019ve got to pay for the roads somehow\u2026 you cannot have a situation where the upkeep of the roads is only paid for by people who have older model cars, who don\u2019t have electric cars\u2026<\/p>
\u201cYou can\u2019t leave the entire funding of our roads system to people in cars who use petrol that props up the budget through fuel excise.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n
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