Electric Vehicles & Infrastructure - Positive & Negative

[bobins]

I'll plonk this here as I'm not sure where else to put it......

From MoneySavingExpert.


EV owners are exempt from paying car tax until April 2025 – but you can delay paying it for another year

Up until now, another benefit of EVs is that they've been totally exempt from road tax, or vehicle excise duty – but this will end in April 2025 (though we've a trick to get another year for free). While EVs are currently still zero-rated for vehicle tax, it's important to note that you MUST still tax your vehicle, even though you won't actually pay anything.
Get FREE tax for an extra year on your EV

If your EV was first registered on or after 1 April 2017, make sure you re-tax it in March 2025 (it can be anytime BEFORE 1 April 2025, but to maximise the savings you should do it in March). Doing this means you'll push back the deadline for paying tax on your EV to when it's next due for renewal in March 2026 (assuming you renew in March 2025).

It doesn't matter what month your EV expires, you can re-tax it anytime using your car's registration number and the reference number on your V5C Registration certificate (logbook) printed in your name. The Government website will ask "Are you sure?" to which you just click to accept.
How will electric vehicles be taxed from April 2025?

If you own an electric car, how much you pay depends on when it was first registered:

Before 31 March 2017: You'll pay £20 a year (based on 2025/26 rates).

Between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2025: You'll pay £195 a year (based on 2025/26 rates).

On or after 1 April 2025: You'll pay £10 in the first year, then £195 a year (based on 2025/26 rates).

However, for new cars registered on or after 1 April 2025 with a purchase price of £40,000 or more, there's also an 'expensive-car supplement' that'll you'll need to pay in addition to the standard rate. It's currently £410 a year, which you pay on top, starting from the second year the vehicle is taxed.

To give you an example, if you bought a new EV for £45,000 that was first registered 1 April 2025, you'd pay £10 tax in year one, then the standard rate (currently £195) plus the expensive car supplement for years two to six (currently £410).
https://www.moneysavingexpert.com/utili ... es/#need-9

[Gibbo2286]

Can we really trust that suggestion bobins? It seems it would work for me with my 2020 Zoe but will it come back and bite me in the bum?

[mickthemaverick]

Give it a go Gibbo and if it does bite back send the bill to Martin Lewis!!

[bobins]

I can't see how it wouldn't work. The requirement is to have a valid 'tax disc ' car tax - applying for a new 12 month just means it's valid for 12 months at whatever rate you paid (or didn't pay). The other option would be to SORN your car and then re-tax it for 12 months as soon as you are allowed to - a couple of days delay to do it online ?
I've considered doing basically the same to one or two of my vehicles that are SORN'd for winter so that they get taxed at the existing rate before the tax goes up due to the budget / inflation, but reckoned it's not worth it as I'd probably not use them in March anyway so might as well keep them SORN'd.

[GiveMeABreak]

Just want to chip in as it may be relevant - remember, you cannot tax your vehicle if the tax renewal date falls after the MOT expiry date!

Went to tax my vehicle as I had the Tax reminder - and blindly went to tax it online, entered the reference, and of course it was refused because the MOT would have expired on the renewal from date - so had to get the MOT done first.

Ours all falls in the same period ish...

[mickthemaverick]

I have just watched this Ad free video from Harry Metcalfe summing up the situation of the car market. It includes a reminder of the diesel revolution and the introduction of Ad Blue and I found it very interesting and some amazing facts about new car tax in Europe!!