The Australian Electric Vehicle Association is campaigning for drivers of petrol and diesel vehicles to effectively be taxed twice as it calls for a new across-the-board charge to be paid by all motorists.

The AEVA wants all road users to pay up based on the weight of their vehicles and the distance they travel, with the new slug to come on top of the federal government’s fuel excise tax. With sales of EVs and hybrids absolutely booming, the idea is to make sure drivers whose cars use no petrol or diesel, or a substantially reduced amount, cough up for their share of road costs.

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Rather than replacing the fuel excise – which was the subject of a large but short-lived cut soon after the start of the Iran war – the group wants the new per-kilometre charge to be brought in on top of it, with the resulting hit to petrol and diesel drivers branded a “pollution tax”.

“If two vehicles weigh the same, and are driven the same distance each year, it’s only fair that they pay the same road user charge. But if one of those vehicles burns petrol or diesel, they should pay for the cost of that pollution too,” AEVA policy convenor Dr Chris Jones said in a statement. 

Dr Jones highlighted what the group sees as the unfairness of the NSW government’s EV-specific road user charge, which is due to come into effect next year.  

“The NSW model means an EV would pay more per kilometre than a conventional petrol hybrid. It also means an electric motorcycle would pay the same rate as a 3-tonne electric SUV, despite having a negligible impact on infrastructure,” he said.

“We’re not after a free ride, but we are asking for policy which encourages EV adoption and motivates better choices.”