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# EV lobby group calls for petrol, diesel drivers to be taxed twice
- URL: https://torquecafe.com/car-news-2026-ev-lobby-group-road-user-charge/
- Published: 2026-09-17T08:00:52.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-17T08:00:52.000Z
- Description: A controversial call has been made by the Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) to bring in road user charges, while keeping the fuel excise in place.
- Author: Jordan Mulach
- Tags: News, Industry, Electric

One of Australia’s top electric vehicle (EV) lobby groups wants a road-user charge to be enacted, but without the repeal of the fuel excise, effectively double-taxing owners of petrol, diesel, hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles.

The Australian Electric Vehicle Association (AEVA) renewed its push for its Universal Road User Charging policy to be implemented ahead of this weekend’s Everything Electric Sydney show, where carmakers will showcase their zero-emission vehicles.

While the AEVA has previously called for a distance-based, road-user charge – where motorists are taxed based on distance travelled and their vehicle type – to replace the fuel excise, it now wants the latter to remain, effectively whacking motorists of non-EVs with two taxes.

At present, the fuel excise is 53 cents per litre, and applies to petrol and diesel, with the revenue generated by the tax providing $25 billion to the budget across the 2023-24 financial year.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/Ranger-Wolftrak-04.JPG)

Due to vehicles generally becoming more efficient, as well as an uptake in the sales of hybrid and electric vehicles, the net revenue generated by the excise has declined in the past two decades.

According to AEVA policy convenor, Dr Chris Jones, the group’s proposal for the road user charge to be implemented while keeping the fuel excise would work to encourage motorists out of petrol and diesel vehicles.

“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,” said Dr Jones. 

“But if one of those vehicles burns petrol or diesel, they should pay for the cost of that pollution too.”

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/2026-toyota-rav4-1.jpg)

The AEVA’s proposal suggests a road user charge rate of 3 cents per

tonne-kilometer (c/t•km) to eventually be implemented, which it says is appropriate based on the group’s calculation that the “average vehicle is spending 5.3c/km in fuel excise”.

This would apply to vehicles with a gross vehicle mass (GVM) under 4500kg, which it estimates would equate to an annual road user charge of $858 for a 2.2-tonne vehicle travelling 13,000km per year.

The group has also taken aim at the New South Wales government’s impending EV road user charge, coming into effect from July 1, 2027 and set to be 3.095c/km for EVs, and 2.476c/km for PHEVs.

“The NSW model means an EV would pay more per kilometre than a conventional petrol hybrid,” Dr Jones added. 

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/a9/b3/a9b3e204-3117-4792-9a32-46184029df44/content/images/2026/09/Nissan_PatrolY63_001.jpg)

“It also means an electric motorcycle would pay the same rate as a 3-tonne electric SUV, despite having a negligible impact on infrastructure.”

While federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers last year raised the prospect of implementing a national road user charge, this was put on hold in May, with Transport Minister Catherine King telling the ABC’s Insiders program it wanted to help drive people towards purchasing more fuel-efficient vehicles.

[Last month](https://torquecafe.com/australian-government-puts-ev-road-user-tax-plans-on-hold/), EVs were the most popular fuel source in the new-car market for the first time ever, outselling petrol and diesel vehicles separately. Rising fuel prices due to conflict in the Middle East, as well as a broader array of fuel-efficient vehicles in showrooms, have been cited as factors.