Sean Duffy, President-elect Donald Trump’s nominee to lead the U.S. Department of Transportation, expressed support for electric vehicle (EV) owners contributing financially to road maintenance during his Senate Commerce Committee confirmation hearing on Wednesday.
“How to do that, I think, is a little more challenging,” Duffy admitted, acknowledging the complexity of implementing such a system.
The issue stems from the fact that federally funded road repairs are primarily financed through taxes on gasoline and diesel. Since EVs don’t consume traditional fuels, their owners don’t contribute to fuel tax revenues, which some argue creates a funding gap.
The Department of Transportation lacks the authority to impose such a policy unilaterally. Legislative action from Congress would be required, potentially involving amendments to the 1956 Highway Revenue Act, which established the federal fuel tax, currently set at 18.3 cents per gallon. Any new framework would need to accurately measure EV mileage or electricity usage while addressing concerns about privacy and implementation feasibility—a significant technological and political challenge. Additionally, environmental advocates and automakers are likely to oppose such fees.
Some states already require EV owners to pay road usage fees to offset their exemption from fuel taxes. For example, Georgia and Illinois impose flat fees, with Illinois charging higher rates for EVs compared to gasoline-powered vehicles. Meanwhile, Utah calculates fees based on vehicle weight or mileage, tracked by state systems.
Duffy’s remarks come amid broader political debates surrounding electric vehicles under the incoming Trump administration. Trump has often criticized EVs as symbols of liberal policies and has threatened to repeal the EV tax credits introduced in President Joe Biden’s Inflation Reduction Act. During his first term, Trump rolled back Obama-era Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards intended to promote EV and hybrid adoption.
Conversely, Trump has prioritized traditional energy sources like coal and oil, frequently championing the slogan “Drill, baby, drill” at campaign rallies.
