Hundreds of electrified cars deregistered in Victoria due to road-user tax – report

The registrations of electric and plug-in hybrid cars in Victoria have been cancelled after motorists failed to pay an additional road-user tax created by the State Government.

According to a report from news outlet AAP, VicRoads has deregistered 243 vehicles since the controversial tax was imposed on electrified cars in July 2021, with many owners continuing to drive without being aware their vehicle is no longer registered.

The Zero- and Low-Emissions Vehicle (ZLEV) levy mandates owners of electric cars pay 2.6 cents for every kilometre driven, while plug-in hybrid owners must pay 2.1 cents per kilometres – regardless of whether they were driving on battery or petrol power.

For an electric car driving 15,000km annually, it adds up to an additional $390 to be paid – while plug-in hybrid owners pay both the state-based ZLEV tax and the federal fuel excise.

Despite the total number of cars registered being less than one per cent of all eligible vehicles in the state, the AAP report claims a number of owners weren’t aware their cars had been deregistered.

After a request is sent out by authorities, owners have 13 days to provide a photo of their odometer reading. If one isn’t provided, the car’s registration is suspended after 56 days, and then cancelled after 78 days.