A new Michigan bill would charge EV owners the nation’s highest registration fee
Published on Oct 29, 2025 at 12:43 PM (UTC+4)
by Molly Davidson
Last updated on Oct 29, 2025 at 2:33 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Emma Matthews
A new Michigan bill means that EV owners could soon be hit with the highest registration fees in the country.
The bill aims to make up for the gas taxes the state’s losing as drivers plug in instead of filling up.
But here’s the twist – EV drivers already pay more than people burning fuel.
If this goes through, Michigan could officially tie New Jersey for the top spot no one wants.
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The new Michigan bill that puts EV owners on the hook
The proposed Senate Bill 593 would make Michigan one of the most expensive states in America to own an electric car.
Right now, EV drivers already pay a $160 annual surcharge on top of regular registration.
If their car weighs over 8,000lbs, like many big electric SUVs or pickups, there’s another $100 added on.
Lawmakers now want to raise that surcharge by another $100 every year.
Once stacked up, that’s far more than most gas drivers pay in fuel tax.
The new system would also tie EV registration fees to the gas tax itself.
Every time the state raises that tax by one cent per gallon, plug-in hybrids would see their annual fee rise by 94 cents, and full EVs would owe $1.88 more.
Even if the fuel tax barely moves, electric car owners will feel it.
Michigan’s EV future is on trial
Supporters argue that EVs are heavier and put more wear on the roads, but gas taxes don’t scale for weight either.
A lightweight Mazda Miata and a massive Chevrolet Suburban both pay the same portion at the pump.
While most states are offering incentives to help people switch to EVs, Michigan’s doing the opposite.
Effectively taxing the future to fund the past.
It’s a strange message to send: go electric, and we’ll make you pay for it.
For now, this new Michigan bill is still up for debate.
But if it passes, the US state won’t just charge more for electric cars.
It’ll prove that the road to electrification can still take a hard turn back to gas.
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Molly Davidson is a Junior Content Writer at Supercar Blondie. Based in Melbourne, she holds a double Bachelor’s degree in Arts/Law from Swinburne University and a Master’s of Writing and Publishing from RMIT. Molly has contributed to a range of magazines and journals, developing a strong interest in lifestyle and car news content. When she’s not writing, she’s spending quality time with her rescue English staffy, Boof.
