Why are not electric cars tax free?

Question

If there is a will to decrease pollution among politicians in this world, why dont they practice what they preach;make electic ar cheaper to buy that gasoline car?

Answer 1

But then they really wouldn't be 'cheaper'.  You would just shift the burdon of buying the car onto some one else.  If electric cars are so great than the market would demand them and, thus, produce them.

Taxing ME differently than YOU just because of the kind of car I drive is effectively forcing ME to pay for YOUR car.

Answer 2

I'm all for it. But just for a little while.  It would help if the government would approve and encourage an infrastructure change to eventually get rid of the extremely dangerous gasoline use by millions of mentally scarred drivers and change to something that can be better managed.

It is technically possible to build electric cars with relatively small energy storage devices (like batteries, fuel cells, etc) that would run primarily on electricity imbedded in the highways. The major cost is the overall infrastucture or the imbedded electrical ports on all the highways,  this would be a government function as it is to provide an airport infrastructure and control system so that mass air transportation works.  This is not cheap, but it sure is practical. Once the transportation systems are electrified, as many cities were 75 years ago, electric cars would be in demand and relatively cheaper to own, run and maintain than the complex gasoline and diesel cars.  We already have a large electricity distribution infrastructure nationwide, the grid.

If you desire to use fossil fuels to produce electricity, nuclear, hydroeelectric, wind, sun or people on a treadmill, is your option and will not change the operation of your electric car.

It would only make sense to me for another charismatic type leader of the country to state such a national goal, sell it to the populace and get busy implementing it.  If we could go 253,000 miles through high radiation and in a vacuum, land on the moon with men and then return them to Earth, we certainly could electrify our transportation system on the ground.

Maybe we are too tired, lazy, or apathetic to do anything constructive.  It's much easier to watch TV, complain, and blame.

Answer 3

It is usually not a good idea for the government to force ideas on people. Especially technological ideas. If you are looking for government to solve your problems you will be severely disappointed. Governments are made up of politicians who's main goals are getting and keeping power. They are not qualified to pick which technology the world should have and which should be prohibited. This is the same government that makes alcohol and tobacco legal but marijuana illegal. The same government that says all people have a right to a speedy trial and cannot be jailed without charge while  keeping prisoners for years without trial in Guantanamo.

Answer 4

Depending what you mean by "tax", in some places they are.

Electric vehicles are exempt from London's congestion charge.  This can come close to paying for the car.

Answer 5

I agree with the first answer.

Answer 6

Because the government doesn't dictate prices for items for sale in a capitalist economy.  What you're proposing is a command economy, similar to what the communists tried.  Look where that got them...