TAIPEI: Taiwan is giving would-be electric vehicle buyers a little more breathing room. On Wednesday, the Legislative Yuan approved changes to the law that will keep key tax breaks for EVs in place for another five years, extending the incentives through the end of 2030.
The timing was no accident. Current tax exemptions were set to expire at the end of this month, raising concerns among consumers and automakers alike. Instead, lawmakers moved quickly—and unanimously—to preserve the benefits, which have been in effect since January 2022 and remove both commodity and vehicle license taxes from qualifying EV purchases.
Under the revised rules, buyers can still enjoy a commodity tax exemption on EVs valued at up to NT$1.4 million (about US$44,433). Any portion of the price above that cap will be taxed as usual. At the same time, the exemption from vehicle license taxes will continue for another five years, easing the long-term cost of owning an electric car.
According to the Ministry of Finance, these incentives have a long history. The commodity tax exemption dates back to 2011, followed by the license tax exemption in 2012, and both have been renewed several times as electric vehicles slowly but steadily gained ground on Taiwan’s roads.
The price tag for the government has been substantial. By the end of last month, foregone revenue totaled NT$28.9 billion in commodity taxes and NT$9.2 billion in vehicle license taxes. Still, policymakers and legislators from across the political gamut agreed that the venture is sensible.
Bureaucrats say the protracted tax breakdowns make cleaner automobiles more reasonably priced, pushing drivers away from high-smog cars and in the direction of greener possibilities. The reckoning, they contend, goes beyond sales records—helping clean up emissions, gain clean air, and elevate total quality of life.
With the leeway now available, Taiwan is doubling down on its promise to a ‘clean and green’ transport, while giving customers a strong message — going electric will be easier—and inexpensive—for many years to come.
