Washington DC requires HGV owners to pay $500 per year

Electric vehicles bring great benefits to the automotive industry, but they also pose a danger to pedestrians due to their heavy weight due to batteries. Washington DC will now seek to force owners of vehicles over 6,00 pounds to pay an annual fee for this fact.

It's no secret that the average new car is terribly heavy. This is because the average new car is usually a crossover, SUV, or pickup truck, and as battery life becomes more visible, this issue won't be fixed right away. This causes problems on more than a few fronts, namely pedestrian safety and infrastructure. Some Washington, D.C. council members are looking for a way to mitigate the impact of large vehicles on both, suggesting that anyone with a car or truck over 6,000 pounds pay $500 a year.

High salary without any concessions

That's about seven times the normal registration fee for, say, a midsize sedan. The District of Columbia typically requires some of the highest registration fees, with registrations for vehicles under 3,500 pounds costing $72 per year. Anything over that but under £5000 costs $115 a year, while the current build has a top price of $155 for the heaviest rigs.

It should be noted that the proposal does not make any concessions to people who need large cars for work. This will come as a surprise to anyone whose job requires a diesel truck to transport equipment or materials, if not the most tragic story for those who drive them purely for style and performance. In any case, the sanction will be applied in the same way.

Ordinary cars weigh too much

Now, this might not seem like such a big deal if your everyday vehicle isn't, but just take a look at some of the big SUVs that are available right now. The top-notch 2022 Chevy Suburban can weigh up to 6,016 pounds without people inside, while the Jeep Grand Wagoneer is even fatter at up to 6,420 pounds. They are everywhere in urban areas, and the District of Columbia is no exception.

Offer aimed at electric vehicles

The offer includes electric vehicles as they are typically heavier than gasoline vehicles. The four-wheel drive is the size of a Cadillac XT6 and weighs 5,915 1,000 lbs. This would be a cause for concern if lawmakers hadn't added a 7,000-pound weight factor for electric vehicles, effectively raising the threshold to pounds if your car doesn't require fuel to operate.

Of course, if you drive a 9,046-pound car, this isn't that important to you. It doesn't help Rivian R1T owners either, since this electric truck covers 7,100-pound territory. However, it does apply to the battery-powered Ford F-150 Lightning, which has a gross weight of 6,590 pounds with the extended-range battery.

The proposal was accepted by the DC Environment and Transportation Committee.

The proposal has already been unanimously passed by the D.C. Committee on Environment and Transportation and was recently approved as part of the city's overall budget package; apparently this could add $40 million to the city's total fund over five years. If Mayor Muriel Bowser signs it, the drivers of these large vehicles will have to pay to play.

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