‘I’m a driving expert – never buy a new EV that | Tech News

An automotive expert has urged drivers desirous about shopping for an electric car to assume twice earlier than getting behind the wheel of a model costing over £40,000. As the DVLA introduces a quantity of modifications to how a lot tax drivers must pay, the exemption given to electric car house owners has ended.

However, along with paying £195 to tax their car, Chris Rosamond, present affairs and options editor for the motoring publication Auto Express famous that 70% of new EVs are subject to a different payment. He stated: “From tomorrow, electric vehicle (EV) buyers – including those purchasing used EVs first registered after the same date – will face yet another financial hurdle as the so-called ‘luxury car tax’ exemption (Expensive Car Supplement, ECS) ends.

“A Freedom of Information request by Auto Express to the DVLA revealed that almost a third (31%) of cars are already subject to this already excessive additional rate of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) levied on cars over £40,000 – and that going forward, it will hit up to 70% of new EVs sold.”

Introduced for petrol and diesel fashions in 2017, the costly car complement (generally referred to as luxurious car tax) is a payment paid on new autos that value more than £40,000 from the second to sixth yr it’s registered on the UK roads.

The payment at the moment stands at £425 per yr, that means that new EV consumers who select a model priced above the edge will seemingly pay a complete of £620 per yr to tax it.

As a outcome, it’s a good thought for drivers inquisitive about shopping for a new electric car to buy round and discover the best model with a retail price of beneath £40,000, together with non-compulsory extras comparable to metallic paintwork.

Chris warned the Government that together with electric autos within the costly car complement will seemingly be seen as punishing drivers for selecting a zero-emission model, with petrol alternate options normally costing much less.

He added: “With private EV uptake already struggling and cost being one of the main deterrents for potential buyers, this change risks slowing adoption at a critical time. The Government should be supporting drivers in making the switch to EVs, not penalising them. More needs to be done to encourage drivers to move to this still-fledgling technology, not give another reason to hold off from making the shift.

“Our information reveals that at the moment, simply 19% of UK motorists are ‘very likely’ to think about an EV for his or her subsequent car, with 57% citing value as the principle problem. Demand is already being pushed more by producers than pulled by customers as it’s, so something that will make them much less engaging to provide is just not good for the industry.”

According to figures revealed by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), 21,244 electric fashions have been offered within the UK during February 2025 – accounting for 25.3% of the new car market.

Whilst the determine is spectacular and sure elevated during March due to the launch of the new quantity plates, some have warned that the top of tax exemption on EVs will trigger demand to droop within the coming months.

A growing quantity of automotive specialists are calling on the Government to raise the costly car complement’s threshold to keep in step with inflation or add different incentives to encourage the uptake of EVs.