Contact: Noah Barnes, Electrification Coalition
noah@electrification.org, (202) 461-2371
ATLANTA—Governor Kemp has signed HB 516 into law, extending the implementation date of a new kilowatt per hour (kW/hr) tax on electric vehicle (EV) charging stations. This move allows the state and charging station hosts additional time to plan for and implement changes needed for charging stations to collect the new tax.
The extension of HB 516 is a response to the passing of SB 146 last year, which added a new tax on charging an EV. Once implemented, this bill will tax all public charger use, including at government offices and workplaces. The excise tax, estimated at up to $2.70 for a full charge, is in addition to the approximately $214 annual EV registration fee already paid by owners in Georgia. These increasing fees counter many other efforts to support EV and battery manufacturing in the state, which is disincentivizing EV adoption.
HB 516 provides a window of opportunity for stakeholders to assess and address the implications of the new tax, aiming to ensure both the public and private sectors can adapt to the new tax and maintain their support for the expansion of the EV market in Georgia.
Electrification Coalition VP of Policy Anne Blair, a Georgia resident, stated:
“Electric vehicles offer significant benefits to all Georgians. They reduce our dependence on oil, improve our economic and national security, and contribute to cleaner air. We commend Governor Kemp for his ongoing commitment to vehicle electrification, which includes supporting manufacturing investments and job creation within the state. The enactment of HB 516 will help preserve these benefits and allow for further assessment of the new tax that we hope will reduce the burden on consumers and communities and ensure Georgia’s EV market remains on a positive trajectory.”
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About the Electrification Coalition
The Electrification Coalition is a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that promotes policies and actions to facilitate the widespread adoption of plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) on a mass scale to overcome the economic, public health and national security challenges that stem from America’s dependence on oil. ElectrificationCoalition.org