Tesla Calls For Action Against Texas SB 1728 To Prevent Higher Fees For Owners In TX

SB 1728 would make owners of a vehicle running on electricity or another alternative fuel to pay an equalization consumption fee of $200-250. Owners of a hybrid vehicle would only have to pay $40-50 for the same fee. These fees will be given to the state highway fund. This bill is said to be needed in order to fund road repairs.

Supporters of the bill

Supporters of the bill have been arguing that buyers who purchase a vehicle that runs on alternative fuels have found a way around donating to the state highway fund. A group called Texas action believes that more taxpayers are needed to fund the state highway fund. They also say that the government previously provided too many tax incentives on EV’s, Hybrids, and other cars that don’t run on petrol.

Tesla has rapidly expanded in Texas

Texas is the second most populous state in the U.S and it also sells more Teslas than almost any other state. A large number of people have moved to Texas in recent years, particularly from California, and Elon Musk is included in that. This has led to a rise in the number EV’s on Texas roads. This rise was higher in number and more rapid than many had anticipated. Now the Texas legislature is trying to pass a bill to get more money into the state highway fund.

Tesla puts out a call to action

Tesla has been calling for action in opposing this bill. They did this by putting out a template which will help Tesla owners craft a letter to their own representatives. This sample letter was just an example, but it suggested that the legislature lower the equalization fee from $200 to $100. Most Tesla owners would probably like this fee to be as low as possible. Many people in the market for a new car go to buy Teslas because of the great incentives and savings in fuel costs. Tesla also provides a link for where to send this letter.

Tesla owners speak up about this bill

Tesla owners and Tesla followers at large have been expressing where they stand on this bill. A popular sentiment that has been expressed is that the Texas state senate wants to have less EV’s on the roads. A similar story to this was covered not too long ago in Connecticut. Tesla was having to take on the car dealership lobby in order to get more Tesla super chargers put on the roads. Others have expressed that Tesla owners are paying their fair share, and that EV’s help keep the roads in better condition because there are no fumes coming out of the tail pipe. Some Tesla owners expressed that they bought a Tesla to save money and shouldn’t be penalized for that.

Image:Tesla

Daniel Cappo reports Tesla developments at Torque News. He has had a passion for cars ever since age five when his grandparents let him drive their old golf cart around their property in Upstate NY. He has attended numerous auto shows, and even got the chance to drive a Ferrari California on the track. Ever since Tesla opened up a dealership at his local mall, he's been an avid follower of their cars and technology. Dan has a B.S. in Public Communication from U Vermont. Follow Daniel on Twitter and LinkedIn for daily Tesla News.

Do you see this bill easily passing? How would it affect Tesla and their buyers going forward? Let us know in the comments.