Overview
- Vehicle Excise Duty rates uprated with inflation took effect on April 1, raising first-year charges and setting a £200 standard annual rate for most newer cars.
- The top first-year bill is now £5,690 for the highest emitters, with the Mirror listing 59 affected models from brands including Ford, BMW, Mercedes and Land Rover.
- The Expensive Car Supplement, a £425-a-year add‑on for five years on higher-priced new cars, now kicks in for electric models only above £50,000 instead of £40,000.
- Petrol and diesel cars keep the £40,000 threshold for the supplement, while many mid‑price EVs such as the Audi Q4 e‑tron, Hyundai Ioniq 5, Polestar 2 and Tesla Model Y now avoid it.
- Ministers have confirmed a per‑mile electric vehicle excise duty from April 2028 for battery and plug‑in hybrid cars, with the collection method and exact rates still in development after a government consultation.