And that’s exactly the point: is now the wrong time to be introducing such a scheme, especially given that despite the introduction of the Electric Car Grant, it looks like the UK won’t hit the tough targets for EV sales set by the government?
According to a survey of Auto Express readers, almost two in five (37 per cent) said they believed the charge to be fair, as opposed to a quarter (23 per cent) who saw it as an unjust attack on EV drivers. Roughly one third (32 per cent) said its introduction was poorly timed and will slow down EV sales.
To combat the potential loss in sales, Labour has also announced plans to raise the threshold above which the £425 Expensive Vehicle Supplement to VED is paid; from April 2026, only EVs costing £50,000 or more will be liable, as opposed to the current £40,000 threshold, which will remain for other fuel types.
Nevertheless, a spokesperson for Ford UK said: “This Budget sends a confusing message at a critical moment in the EV transition. Extra investment in charging and the Electric Car Grant is positive, but it cannot offset the impact of a poorly timed pay-per-mile charge on EVs and hybrids. Against a hugely challenging market, and compliance targets drifting out of reach, this is the wrong tax at the wrong time.”
Such a sentiment is mirrored by Delvin Lane, the CEO of charging firm Instavolt, who pointed out how investment in roads and charging infrastructure is being “overshadowed by new cost pressures, including the introduction of pay-per-mile charging. Such policies risk reducing EV uptake and weakening the investment case for expanding the rapid-charging network.”
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