Motorists will save a collective $6.6 million over four years in registration fees as the ACT begins charging based on vehicles' emissions rather than weight from July 2024, the government has said.
The plan will mean heavy electric cars pay less than lighter vehicles that cause more pollution, but the government said there would be no change to the cost of registering the 35 most-owned vehicles in the territory.
Certain concession card holders in the ACT will also be able to access free registration from July.
More than 95 per cent of vehicles will pay the same or less under the new scheme, with the increase capped at $50 for the small number of private passenger vehicles that will attract a higher registration fee.
Cars that will pay more include some older models and light-weight, high-performance vehicles that are generally higher emitters.
The government said a Ford Ranger ute, which is both heavy and higher-emitting, would attract the same registration fee under the new system, but an older 3.8-litre Holden Commodore would pay more.
A hybrid Toyota Camry would pay $508 in the new scheme, which is $91 less than under the weight-based system.
The plan, including concessions and discounts, is expected to cost the ACT government $6.6 million over four years, with an extra $2.8 million to update the computer system that the territory's motor registry.
The government committed to introducing an emissions-based registration scheme when it announced internal combustion engine vehicles would be banned in the territory by 2035.
Electric vehicles that come off a two-year free registration period before the start of the new system will automatically transfer to the lowest weight-range fee.
ACT Service Access card holders and Australian low-income health care card holders will receive free registration from July 1, but will still need to pay other fees, including the road safety contribution and motor accident levy.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr said the plan would target cost of living pressures and address transport pollution, which was the largest contributor to the territory's greenhouse gas emissions.
"These new initiatives are designed to ensure we have an appropriate vehicle registration system for the future. They will see lower fees for lower-emission vehicles, including for lower emitting petrol and diesel vehicles," Mr Barr said.
Emissions Reduction Minister Shane Rattenbury said the change to registration fees would help make electric vehicles more affordable in Canberra.
"Zero emissions vehicles continue to gain momentum in the ACT, with registrations doubling from 2021 to 2022. The ACT is already leading the nation on electric vehicle uptake, with 9.5 per cent of all new cars purchased in the ACT in 2022 being electric vehicles," he said.
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