Drivers of electric cars more than make up for the taxes they don’t pay

I smiled when I read the Wednesday letter from the writer who griped about electric-vehicle drivers not paying fuel taxes. I suspect neither he nor many other people realize that while such drivers don’t pay fuel taxes — as they don’t consume gasoline (thankfully) — they contribute much more to society by using vehicles that don’t pollute while driving.

Unfortunately, gas cars and hybrids are not green, as they still use a gasoline engine.

Where electric drivers do use fossil fuels is on the electric grid. But here in Nevada, that is changing as we get more solar, hydro and wind power running through our grid. Another little-known fact is that electric-vehicle drivers tend to generate some of their energy back into their vehicle’s batteries by slowing down and braking. What little taxes these drivers are not paying is made up by offering a clean-emissions vehicle, something gas and hybrids don’t offer — though plug-in hybrids do have a small range of just electric power.

As the major auto companies have announced their conversion to electric, we will all become more aware of these vehicles.