Does anyone else think that the dmv should base registration fees on the vehicles MPG?

Question

worse mpg more to register.

Answer 1

I agree with Thor. The government already incents high MPG vehicles through gas taxes.

In my opinion, it's all about the gas prices. If they stay this high, car purchases will shift hugely to better MPG cars. They already have. If gas prices go down again, it's back to SUVs and pickups.

As a society, we want both cheap fuel and energy efficiency. I don't think we can have both.

Answer 2

No, theres already something called gas guzzler tax when you buy a car.

Answer 3

No, low gas mileage cars already pay more in taxes than smaller cars, the tax included with every gallon of gas....

And if you go by weight it works the same, heavier cars get less mileage and buy more gas so they pay more taxes too.

Answer 4

That's a good idea, but an increase in the gasoline tax is even better.

Why?  Because a tax based on the MPG of a car will encourage people to buy more fuel efficient cars.  But once purchased, it will not encourage people to drive any less.  In fact, to the extent that they buy more fuel efficient cars, they may drive even more, since the per-mile cost is cheaper.

A gas tax, on the other hand, encourages both more fuel efficient cars and fewer miles being driven (since you have to pay more for each mile that you drive).  The gas tax is probably too low; I would hike it up by about ten cents per gallon per year for five years.

Answer 5

I'd prefer on weight.   The weight is what damages the roads, not the MPG.   They already pay taxes for that.   People say bikes should pay registration fees too.   I say sure, I'll pay $1 per pound per year for my bike if you pay $1 per pound for your monstrosity you drive which damages the road thousands of times more than a bike.    I also have a (small) vehicle, but it too damages the road a little, and I should be paying for that instead of having someone else pay for it.

Answer 6

another way to register by horse power and mpg.