Why the free ride for electric cars?

Streets and highways are maintained through a user fee of 19 cents per gallon of gasoline. But “electric” autos are powered by energy stored from converting coal or nuclear fuels, producing zero payment for the upkeep of the streets they drive on.

At a tax rate of roughly a penny a mile, and the average car being driven 10,000 miles per year, that works out to about $100 per year per “electric” auto that is not being paid to maintain the streets.

Shouldn’t vehicle stickers cost more for those “electric” vehicles that are not paying their way? Shouldn’t Illinois make them pay a higher license fee so that they, too, pay for road repairs?

Stan Zegel

Winfield