WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A group of Senate Republicans on Wednesday proposed a $1,000 tax on new electric vehicle purchases to account for the cost of federal road repairs.

Most revenue for federally funded road repairs is collected through taxes on diesel and gasoline, which EVs do not pay.

The one-time $1,000 fee charged at the time of purchase would be roughly equivalent to what drivers of conventional vehicles pay in federal gas taxes over 10 years for highway funds, said Senator Deb Fischer, the lead sponsor of the measure.