J.R.
eBiker - Since 2014
- Region
- USA
- City
- The Piedmont
Many places around the world offer tax incentives for the purchase of electric cars and some offer incentives for the purchase of a bicycle, should an ebike be free of sales tax? Should there even be more incentives than this, such as a rebate on your income tax?
Some European countries offer incentives to get people out of their automobiles, should this be world-universal? Tax income will come from somewhere, so try and think from the tax-payer point of view, rather than the e-biker point of view. I thought about this because of an article from BC, Canada.
"Leo Boon, Greater Nanaimo Cycling Coalition chairman is mounting a push to get senior government to scrap sales taxes applicable on the purchase of e-bikes. Boon said cyclists see it as a good way to encourage a green, healthy alternative to driving. That's the reason the provincial government gives incentives worth up to $5,000 off the cost of an electric vehicle."
(Link Removed - Attachment No Longer Exists)
It really makes no sense to incentivize the purchase of an electric car or a bicycle and not an electric bicycle. I just will want to know what the true cost will be and will the average tax-paying couch potato want to pay that cost. Even with incentives, governments would still benefit from taxes paid by the manufacturing and selling process (income, property, etc.) and the energy to charge batteries, the question remains would there be a net gain from increased sales.
Personally I feel that eliminating sales tax would not only help the sales of ebikes, but would also level the playing field between online sales and local bike shops.
Some European countries offer incentives to get people out of their automobiles, should this be world-universal? Tax income will come from somewhere, so try and think from the tax-payer point of view, rather than the e-biker point of view. I thought about this because of an article from BC, Canada.
"Leo Boon, Greater Nanaimo Cycling Coalition chairman is mounting a push to get senior government to scrap sales taxes applicable on the purchase of e-bikes. Boon said cyclists see it as a good way to encourage a green, healthy alternative to driving. That's the reason the provincial government gives incentives worth up to $5,000 off the cost of an electric vehicle."
(Link Removed - Attachment No Longer Exists)
It really makes no sense to incentivize the purchase of an electric car or a bicycle and not an electric bicycle. I just will want to know what the true cost will be and will the average tax-paying couch potato want to pay that cost. Even with incentives, governments would still benefit from taxes paid by the manufacturing and selling process (income, property, etc.) and the energy to charge batteries, the question remains would there be a net gain from increased sales.
Personally I feel that eliminating sales tax would not only help the sales of ebikes, but would also level the playing field between online sales and local bike shops.
