Last week, a High Court ruling sent many state governments into a tailspin.

It was Victoria that was rapped on the knuckles, legally, after the court ruled that a tax it imposed on users of electric vehicles was illegal.

But this decision could cost the states billions. Because the ruling has opened the way for potential challenges to all kinds of state taxes, from gaming, to car registration.

Today, climate and energy correspondent Mike Foley on the political fight that has resulted from trying to encourage people to use electric vehicles in a polluted world.

Subscribe to The Age & SMH: https://subscribe.smh.com.au/

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.