Gas guzzler tax should also apply to "light trucks" or be abolished!

"cuts_off_prius" (cutsoffprius) 04/12/2014 at 23:53 • Filed to: None

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Description of the tax from the EPA’s !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! :

Congress established Gas Guzzler Tax provisions in the Energy Tax Act of 1978 to discourage the production and purchase of fuel-inefficient vehicles. The Gas Guzzler Tax is assessed on new cars that do not meet required fuel economy levels. These taxes apply only to passenger cars. Trucks, minivans, and sport utility vehicles (SUV) are not covered because these vehicle types were not widely available in 1978 and were rarely used for non-commercial purposes. The IRS is responsible for administering the gas guzzler program and collecting the taxes from car manufacturers or importers. The amount of tax is posted on the window stickers of new cars - the lower the fuel economy, the higher the tax.

In addition, the “required fuel economy levels” mentioned above for “light trucks” are more lax thanks to our !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! In other words, “light trucks” would be less likely to be hit with the Gas Guzzler Tax even if it applied to them.

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I say we need to update this law to match current realities, or abolish it completely.

This is why it’s unfair:

2014 Cadillac Escalade (14 MPG city/18 MPG highway)

Gas Guzzler Tax: $0

2014 Chevrolet SS (14 MPG city/21 MPG highway)

Gas Guzzler Tax: $1,300

thebigbossyboss > cuts_off_prius 04/13/2014 at 00:02

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Nothing more too add...inefficient taxes are the worst taxes.

Burrito de EJ25 > cuts_off_prius 04/13/2014 at 00:07

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Are you kidding me? SUVs don't get taxed for heavy gas consumption?

Government,

Demon-Xanth knows how to operate a street. > cuts_off_prius 04/13/2014 at 00:10

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In 1978, the law made sense.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > cuts_off_prius 04/13/2014 at 00:11

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Bullshit is being called. That's stupid.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > cuts_off_prius 04/13/2014 at 00:23

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The crown vic is on that list for 2010, with a combined mpg of 22....

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > cuts_off_prius 04/13/2014 at 00:35

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This is a "light truck" not that luxo-barge on steroids.

16 city 19 highway on the biggest engine, 4WD , and the manual trans.

duurtlang > cuts_off_prius 04/13/2014 at 03:05

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You're absolutely right. However, I do wonder what the point of a mere $1300 gas guzzler tax is on a *vehicle* as wildly inefficient as that SS. I'd guess the tax is designed to shape market demand in such a way that people are more likely to buy efficient cars. They're not going to achieve this with a $1300 tax on a 14/21 mpg vehicle.

duurtlang > duurtlang 04/13/2014 at 03:27

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I did a little bit of research. Where I'm from there's 0 gas guzzler tax on a Prius, €1.9k on a Ford Focus 1.0 Ecoboost, €9.9k on a Ford Focus ST, €40.8k on an Escalade Hybrid and €82.1k on an Escalade 6.2 V8. Now I personally think this is taking it way too far, but it is effective as a tax guiding both manufacturers and consumers towards more efficient vehicles.

zeontestpilot > cuts_off_prius 04/13/2014 at 08:29

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if they do tax fuel inefficient vehicles, it should be when it's brand new. People but these cars for a practical purpose, like living on dirt roads in the country. If it rains, the mud is so bad you NEED a 4wd vehicle to just go grocery shopping. These people shouldn't be punished for buying a useful vehicle.