Jargo Dodson, Associate Professor and Director,Urban Research Program at Griffith University

Tesla's next act, the Model X will seek to fill another niche, just as other crossover models do.

BMW ActiveE drivers have accumulated 6.1 million gasoline-free miles.

Toyota i-Road Concept is two-passenger electric urban runabout.

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25-Jan-2013

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Texas Lawmakers Considering EV Fees

Since plug-in vehicle owners don't use any or as much fuel as conventional cars, lawmakers see the fee as a way to equalize their share of highway maintenance funding.

Some state lawmakers in Austin are considering levying a fee on owners of electric vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf or the Chevy Volt to help fund roadway construction in Texas.

The Texas Tribune reported that the lawmakers see the fee as a way to make up for the fact that while electric cars help wear down the roadways just like any other vehicle, their owners rarely buy gas and therefore contribute less money to road maintenance. The state derives most of its money for roadway building from the 38.4 cents in state and federal taxes that Texans pay per gallon of gas, the Tribune said.

“I think we need to make sure that electric vehicles that tear up our roads pay their fair share,” state Rep. Drew Darby, R-San Angelo, told the Tribune. “Should we have the same registration fee for fuel-burning vehicles as electric vehicles?”

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