E-Car Owners Will Have to Dig Deeper into Their Pockets in the Future

"Assuming that electromobility will increasingly reach the lower performance and lighter vehicle segments in the future, taxation for many vehicles is likely to be on the lower end," said the ÖAMTC on Friday.

E-Car Owners Must Expect Additional Costs

The additional costs arise from the introduction of a motor-related insurance tax for electric cars by the new federal government in Vienna. Previously, electric vehicles were exempt from this tax, which is calculated for combustion engines based on engine performance and CO2 emissions. The new levy applies to existing vehicles as well as newly registered cars. The "Standard" and the "Presse" have calculated a few examples together with ÖAMTC and ARBÖ. For the Škoda Enyaq, a mid-range electric vehicle for families, additional costs due to the insurance tax are estimated at an average of 480 euros per year. For the BMW i4, the median additional costs are around 530 euros. Some cars incur significantly higher taxes, for a Tesla Y it is around 950 euros on average. The BYD Seal will be 813 euros more expensive on average, the small BYD Dolphin by 242 euros. For example, if you take a VW ID.3 Pro - a car comparable to a VW Golf - with a power of 170 kW (231 hp) and a weight of 2,280 kilograms, you end up with a monthly tax of 42.85 euros. Annually, that's 514.20 euros. This roughly corresponds to the tax on a VW Golf Sport TSI with 110 kW (150 hp).

Calculation Basis is the Continuous Power of E-Cars

The proposal specifically looks like this: The power of an electric car is reduced by 45 kilowatts. For the first 35 kilowatts, you pay 0.25 euros per kW. For the next 25 kilowatts, 0.35 euros in tax are due. And for each kilowatt beyond that, 0.45 euros must be paid. However, the Ministry of Finance does not use the peak power of the electric motor for the calculation, but the continuous power. For a VW ID.3 Pro, this is 70 kW, according to the "Presse". In addition to power, the weight of the vehicle is also taxed. The vehicle weight is reduced by 900 kilograms. For the first 500 kilograms, 0.015 euros per kilogram are due. For the next 700 kilograms, you pay 0.030 euros, and for each kilogram beyond that, 0.045 euros are to be paid.

ÖAMTC Demands More Tax Transparency When Buying a Car

ÖAMTC traffic expert Martin Grasslober demanded on Friday that the taxes to be paid should be made visible at the time of purchase. "If you only deal with how much you ultimately have to pay when finalizing the insurance, it's too late," the expert clarified. And he points out another issue: "The new formula for electric cars is based on the curb weight and power in the registration certificate. For the latter, there is a requirement that the continuous power must be listed. As the ÖAMTC was able to find out in advance, there have been very isolated incorrect entries here so far. In light of the tax changes announced today, the club has contacted the affected manufacturers."

Changes Also for Plug-In Hybrids

And there are also stricter regulations for plug-in hybrids in the calculation of the motor-related insurance tax. As a result, the tax burden is now increasing for many existing vehicles. The ÖAMTC advises caution when purchasing plug-in hybrids because the assumed electrically driven share in determining CO2 emissions will decrease in the future, thereby increasing their emissions. "Although politics has taken this into account in taxation, the club also recommends checking the expected burden before buying a car. There will also be a motor-related insurance tax for electric motorcycles in the future. However, "E-Mopeds" remain exempt.

Greens Criticize Additional Costs for E-Car Owners

"The inclusion of emission-free vehicles in the motor-related insurance tax is the completely wrong signal in the current climate and industrial policy situation," was the reaction of the Greens. "The ideology-driven debate on phasing out combustion engines has already created uncertainty among consumers, with negative impacts on the demand for electric cars," they stated in a press release. The sudden expansion of taxes on electric cars now also punishes those who have already purchased a climate-friendly electric car in the past. For them, additional costs of 500 euros or even more per year are now expected.

(APA/Red)

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