New Levy on Electric Cars - How should it look like according to Swiss residents?
A new report based on data from the Swiss Mobility Panel explores Swiss public opinion on a new tax on electric cars
The federal government has plans to tax electric vehicles to secure funding for road infrastructure. However, a new levy could delay the switch to electromobility. So, how can we tax electric cars without slowing down the electromobility transition?
As part of the Swiss Mobility Panel's 5th wave, the panel analysed the political acceptance of a replacement levy on electric cars in a representative sample of the Swiss resident population carried out using survey experiments.
Note: This is a summarized version of the original Zukunftsblog post on the ETH website. The full blog post is available in English and German.
Read the full report (only available in German).
The electrification of road transportation is a key element of the Swiss government’s climate policy. However, the increasing share of electric cars is leading to a shortfall in revenue from mineral oil tax. To plug the looming funding gap in road infrastructure, the Federal Council plans to introduce a replacement levy for electric cars and other alternative drive systems from 2030.
However, this could reduce people’s incentive to buy electric cars and slow down the electromobility transition. If the electrification of road transportation slows too much, it could jeopardise the Swiss government’s attainment of its net-zero target. Thus, it's crucial to figure out the best way to tax electric cars without putting a brake on the electromobility transition.
Given the expected referendum on this issue, it is valuable to know how the Swiss population stands on the dilemma outlined above. The Swiss Mobility Panel's findings indicate that the Swiss population is in favour of a replacement levy for electric cars: Specifically, 54 percent of respondents are in favour of a levy calculated according to a car’s weight and performance, and distance driven measured by a GPS device.
Read all summarised findings in the short report (only available in German) or read the full blog post in English or German.
Swiss Mobility Panel
The Swiss Mobility Panel examines mobility behavior in Switzerland, its changes over time and the connection with attitudes towards environmental policy measures in the transport sector. Their priority is to examine the political feasibility of policies to achieve a more environmentally friendly transportation system.
Find out more about the Panel and its findings on the Swiss Mobility Panel webpage in English or German.