Michigan EV drivers could pay more if organization gets way

LANSING, MI (CBS DETROIT) - Electric vehicles are starting to make up for more and more of the cars you see on the road. One organization believes they aren't paying their fair share. 

Michigan Infrastructure and Transportation Association is proposing that electric vehicle car owners pay their fair share of taxes for the roads. How they propose that happen has drivers a bit concerned. 

"Gas tax is collected by the number of gallons we consume therefore the less we consume the less money collected in revenue," According to Lance Binoniemi, VP of Government Affairs for MITA.

With electric vehicles not paying gas taxes, MITA is seeking equitability. 

"Our envision would be it would be very similar to what a normal vehicle paying their 26.7% gas tax would pay," Binoniemi added.

Mita's idea is 'Vehicle miles traveled' it would monitor mileage to determine the fee its owner should pay.

 "Your weight of your vehicle and the number of miles you drive on this infrastructure will be directly related to the user fee you are charged."

Mita hopes lawmakers will consider the initiative.

"EV'S are actually heavier than a lot of internal combustion vehicles because of the weight of the battery." He continued, theoretically they are putting more destruction on our roadways and not paying their fair share."

We took our cameras to an EV charging station to see how drivers felt about this idea. Detroit Now News was met with mixed reactions. 

EV driver, Daniel Arking, added "There's always a part of anyone who doesn't wanna pay more taxes but if I know where that money is going I'm ok with it."

Others feel the roads have been in disrepair for years and they don't see how the VMT fee would change that.

"The roads have been the same....I was a little kid riding with my momma in the car and the roads still cracked up," EV driver, DeAndre Becker noted.  

Privacy is a concern among drivers but according to Binoniemi, VMTs wouldn't track drivers only monitor mileage.

"There's various ways to protect our privacy to capture the exact miles that people are driving."

Mita is hoping to further conversations with lawmakers.

"We'd like to see the legislature take on a VMT pilot program," the VP added.