Experts warn new car tax charges may be ‘unfair’ with these drivers facing over £600 fee

New set to slap hundreds of pounds on motorists within weeks may not be “fair”, according to experts. 

owners will be hit with charges

The update means EV owners will pay the standard £195 VED fee in the same way as petrol and diesel drivers from April 1, 2025.

However, an extra £425 Expensive Car Supplement (ECS) fee. 

between the second and sixth years of a car’s lifespan.

In total, VED fees and ECS costs in total.

Online car marketplace stressed they understood the decision to tax electric vehicles from April but added they were “not saying” the move was fair on owners.

They said: “As more people moved over to electric driving and enjoyed the previously free road tax, less tax was being paid by UK drivers.

“It makes sense that the government would apply tax to electric vehicles because of this – though we’re not saying it’s fair.

“The same goes for making electric car drivers pay the £425 expensive car supplement – another form of tax revenue missed as electric cars become more popular.

“Inflation makes cars more expensive, and electric cars can be particularly pricey as they cost more to make.”

They added: “Many have asked for electric cars to continue to be exempt from the expensive car supplement, but they’ll still need to pay it from 1 April 2025.”

First-year electric car owners will still enjoy an extra incentive with rates capped at just £10. 

Meanwhile, many petrol and diesel owners will see first-year rates double with many paying as much as £5,490 to use the road from the spring.

Officials at explained the reason behind the rule change was to bring electric car fees in line with petrol and diesel.

They said: “To ensure all drivers begin to pay a fairer tax contribution, this measure will bring electric vehicles, which do not currently pay VED, and AFVs and hybrids, which pay a discounted rate, into the motoring tax system, in the same way as petrol and diesel vehicles.”