Autumn Statement: Electric cars to pay vehicle tax from 2025

Image: RAC
Image: RAC

Following the announcement that from 2025 electric vehicles will no longer be exempt from Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), RAC head of policy Nicholas Lyes said:

"After many years of paying no car tax at all, it’s probably fair the Government gets owners of electric vehicles to start contributing to the upkeep of major roads from 2025. Vehicle excise duty rates are unlikely to be a defining reason for vehicle choice, so we don’t expect this tax change to have much of an effect on dampening the demand for electric vehicles given the many other cost benefits of running one. The fact that company car tax increases on EVs will be kept low should also keep giving fleets the confidence to go electric which is vital for increasing the overall number of EVs on our roads.

“We estimate around 550,000 battery electric vehicles on the road now will be affected by the tax change in 2025, in addition to those that will be newly registered between now and then.”

Press office team

Press office team

For journalist enquiries only

Share

Latest News

Website preview
Government commits £24bn to road maintenance in 2025 Spending Review - RAC comment
In response to the Government's Spending Review, which commits £24bn of capital funding to road maintenance between 2026 - 2030, RAC head of policy Simon Williams said: “Giving councils the certainty of longer-term funding to fix their roads is something we’ve called for many years, so this is excellent news. Local authorities now have a golden opportunity to end the cycle of merely filling potholes and instead begin to be much more proactive in their maintenance. This must include both more surface dressing to keep decent roads in good condition and resurfacing those that are at the end of their lives. It’s incumbent on councils to grasp this new opportunity and show all road users how it’s making a genuine difference in the quality of the roads they use every day."
media.rac.co.uk
Website preview
Petrol drops for third month in a row to near four-year low
Diesel now at its lowest since end of September 2021
media.rac.co.uk
Website preview
Be wary of the ordinary: talking to passengers and daydreaming found to be biggest causes of distracted driving mistakes
Ordinary things drivers do every day like talking to passengers and daydreaming have been found to be the biggest cause of driving mistakes ahead of more obviously dangerous distractions, new RAC research reveals.*
media.rac.co.uk

Get updates in your mailbox

By clicking "Subscribe" I confirm I have read and agree to the Privacy Policy.

About RAC Media Centre

The RAC Media Centre provides journalists and news outlets with the latest motoring-related news, comment, data and research.

The RAC is an iconic UK brand, and provides complete peace of mind to nearly 14 million UK private and business drivers - whatever their motoring needs. As well as its premium nationwide breakdown assistance service – with an expert branded patrol workforce attending more than two million breakdowns every year – and European breakdown assistance products, it offers a wide range of market-leading products across insurance, legal services, vehicle inspections and service, maintenance and repair. Included in this is the first-of-its-kind nationwide Mobile Mechanics service which brings the garage to homes and workplaces. 

At the forefront of new solutions for business fleets and consumers, the RAC’s breakdown service is electric-ready with mobile EV charging technology and be called on using myRAC – its all-in-one route planner, fuel finder and breakdown reporting app