– It is completely impossible to understand: In addition to making electric cars more expensive, the Labor Party promises cheaper petrol in the districts. But what the “districts” are, they refuse to answer. I think there is a good reason for this: They want to trick as many people as possible into believing that they will get cheaper petrol if they vote for the Labor Party.
This is what Minister of Climate and Environment Sveinung Rotevaten (V) says in an interview with Nettavisen.
He believes the Labor Party is planning to get its feet wet during the electric car initiative. The party goes to the polls to introduce VAT on electric cars over 600,000 kroner, as well as introduce a scheme with more expensive petrol and diesel in general, but where it is cheaper in the districts. Rotevatn believes it makes it less attractive to make the change.
– Pulls up the ladder and leaves the districts
– The red-green car policy will now slow down the electric car revolution, and they will pull up the ladder and leave the districts. Now the electric car investments are an adventurous success: It is cheap, there are good cars and the sales figures break new records. But what Støre and Vedum want is to make it more expensive to buy an electric car – they are completely open about it, and go to the polls to introduce VAT. It will definitely lead to a slowdown in sales, he says.
– What is extra unfair about it is that electric car sales have been high for many years in and around the big cities, because there are many who have smaller cars. In the districts, some have lost their temper because there are few electric car models where there is a long range, towing hitch and plenty of space. But now they have come, but they are often quite expensive. If you introduce VAT, then it is the fossil car sales that will increase instead. Then there will be no green shift in road traffic, and it is very unfortunate considering our climate goals, says Rotevaten.
He is particularly critical of the fact that the Labor Party can not give an answer as to which are the “districts” that will get cheaper fuel.
– They must actually have an answer to this. They have to put that line in place, and then the question is: How far from Bergen do you have to drive to get cheap petrol? Is it enough to drive to Dale? Voss? Ulvik? That place must go that limit, and I can promise you that where that limit will go, everyone will fill where it is cheapest. It is dishonest of them not to give an answer, but in any case it will lead to increased greenhouse gas emissions, says Rotevatn.
Will continue the electric car benefits for four new years
– You should also introduce taxes in one way or another on the purchase of electric cars?
– We in the Liberal Party say that we will preserve the electric car benefits also in the next parliamentary term (up to and including 2025, journ.anm). It is in the cards that at some point VAT will also be introduced on zero-emission cars, as it is on all other goods in society, but it is too early now. We have a goal that 100 percent of new car sales in 2025 will be zero emissions. We are likely to achieve that goal if the positive development continues, but then we cannot start joking about the benefits.
– We must let the goal be governing: We will replace the car fleet, and it is too early to introduce VAT now. There are far too few who have entered the market.
Like the Labor Party, the Liberal Party wants to increase the CO2 tax, which will give more expensive petrol and diesel prices, but will not have the district discount.
– Now petrol prices probably do not have that much to say for passenger car traffic, but it has a lot to say for heavy transport. There you can now see that there are many transport companies that are now counting on the buttons: Should they buy new diesel trucks, as they have always done, or should they invest in biobass, battery or hydrogen? The technology exists, but they are quite expensive. And if diesel is to cost the same in ten years, then it may not be worthwhile to invest in environmental technology. The goal is for them to do so, but then the polluting alternative must not be the cheapest.
Labor: – Election campaign clothes from a party that is struggling below the threshold
The Labor Party’s foremost transport politician, Sverre Myrli, is not impressed by the criticism:
– This is of course just election campaign clothes from a party that is struggling with the barrier limit. The Labor Party has not promised cheaper fuel, but we have said that for the districts we will not participate in the large increase in the price of diesel and petrol that the government is planning. In many places, public transport is absent, and since this government is procrastinating in building enough charging stations in the districts, electric cars are not an option everywhere, says Myrli.
– We support the increase in CO2 tax, but believe this increase for the districts should be compensated with a corresponding decrease in the road use tax on petrol and diesel. It is the pump price that means something to the individual.
He will not answer what the party defines as districts. The party has previously said they need the resources of the government apparatus to find the right division. That Ap’s policy will lead to higher emissions, he rejects:
– We must reduce climate emissions, and with the Labor Party’s various proposals, climate emissions will be cut more sharply than the government proposes. If we are to succeed in working together to reduce climate emissions, everyone must be involved. Then we can not introduce measures that not everyone can participate in. Raising the price of petrol and diesel sharply for those who in reality have no alternative will not be right. Then we can hope that a new government speeds up the development of charging stations, so that electric cars will be a real alternative in several places, he says.
Only want VAT on parts of the price
He deliberately misunderstands the proposal with VAT on electric cars over 600,000 kroner:
– Of course, there will be no VAT on the entire amount with our proposal. If the car costs 700,000 kroner, there will be VAT of 100,000 kroner, ie it will be 25,000 kroner. You get very good and solid electric cars for 600,000 kroner and the price of electric cars is also expected to fall. What we include in VAT should be used to expand more charging stations. There is the current government without action
– The Department of Transport Economics (TØI) has calculated the effects of our proposal, and the calculations show that it is entirely possible to reach the seagulls we have set for the electric car policy with our proposal. Rotevatn should get to grips with the facts before he criticizes, but now he has been working on this case for several weeks. He obviously does not have much to risk during the day.
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