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The Swiss government’s proposal to impose a new tax on electric vehicles by 2030 is causing an uproar. The political parties, the Transport and Environment Association and the Touring Club of Switzerland (TCS) are all calling for changes or to reject the proposal.

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The consultation period on the proposed tax ended on Friday. The government is proposing two alternatives. One is to tax the number of kilometres travelled, taking into account the weight of the vehicle. The other involves a tax on the electricity used, irrespective of the type of vehicle.

The right-wing Swiss People’s Party rejects the proposal outright, and is particularly opposed to taxing motorists to the benefit of public finances.

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The centre-right Radical-Liberals propose that the government apply an alternative transitional solution and work towards a viable and fair reform of the taxation of electric vehicles in the long term.

The centre-left Liberal Greens reject the tax, while the left-wing Green Party welcomes it.

The Transport and Environment Association wants such a tax to come into force in 2035 at the earliest. Finally, the TCS is calling for a gradual approach.

Translated from French with AI/gw