California is weighing a per‑mile charge for electric‑vehicle owners as an alternative to dwindling fuel‑tax revenues. Today, roughly 80 percent of the road‑maintenance budget is funded by fuel taxes, but the growing share of EVs makes that stream less predictable.

In a pilot program, EV drivers were assessed 2 to 4 cents per mile (1.61 km). Local outlets calculated that a daily trip between Hanford and Fresno could add up to about $11 a week—an amount that lands hardest on rural residents and anyone with a long commute. For drivers outside major metro areas, that math can quickly blunt the savings they expect from going electric.

How to verify mileage remains unsettled. One proposal is to install a dedicated tracker that records distance. That approach could raise implementation costs and, unsurprisingly, stoke privacy concerns.

David Kline of the California Taxpayers Association said the underlying idea is that those who use the roads should pay for them, while noting the fee could shift costs onto people for whom the added expense would be significant. The argument over fairness and execution is far from over, and any framework will have to balance revenue needs with equity for drivers who cover long distances.