Debate Heats Up Over Road Tax for EVs as Tensions Rise Between Gas and Electric Vehicle Owners

Recently, discussions over whether new energy vehicles (NEVs) should be subject to road maintenance fees have drawn widespread attention, gradually escalating into a dispute between owners of fuel-powered and electric vehicles. For a long time, road maintenance costs in China have been primarily covered through fuel taxes—a mechanism aligned with a transportation structure dominated by internal combustion engine vehicles. With the rapid growth of the NEV industry, the latest data shows that the retail penetration rate of new energy passenger cars has surpassed 60%, significantly altering the balance between fuel-powered and electric vehicles. This shift has placed mounting pressure on the existing fuel-tax-based funding mechanism for road maintenance, leading to growing calls for "equal treatment between fuel and electric vehicles."