AEVA to Treasurers: Get the RUC right

On Friday morning (5th September 2025) the nation's state and territory Treasurers will meet with the Commonwealth to discuss what a future road user charge (RUC) might look like. The Federal Treasurer, Dr Jim Chalmers has been adamant that the RUC would only be applied to EVs - a position the AEVA strongly opposes.

And not for the reasons you might think; AEVA is supportive of a RUC, but only if it's part of a wider reform of road-related revenue collection which applies to all vehciles regardless of their fuel source. This is particularly relevant as conventional hybrids are primarily responsible for the decline in fuel excise collected form petrol sales, yet such vehicles would not be captured under an EV-specific RUC.

AEVA today circulated it's RUC options paper along with a press release calling on the Treasurers to embrace a universal mass × distance RUC, set at a low rate and introduce over the coming decade in line with the predicted fall in fuel excise revenue.

Fuel excise should remain in place as it is a very efficient pollution tax, and as heavy vehicles are likely to be diesel powered for the forseeable future, would continue to deliver revenue to Commonwealth coffers.