Guide · 10
Electric car tax (VED) in 2026/27: rates, the expensive car supplement and what comes next
Electric cars have paid vehicle tax since April 2025. Here is what you pay now, and what is planned.
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Until April 2025, most electric cars in the UK paid no vehicle tax, also called Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) or road tax. That changed on 1 April 2025, and the rules for electric cars are now close to those for petrol cars. This guide sets out the rates that apply from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2027, using figures from GOV.UK.
What an electric car pays in 2026/27
What you pay depends on when the car was first registered.
| First registered | Vehicle tax from 1 April 2026 |
|---|---|
| On or after 1 April 2025 | £10 for the first year, then £200 a year |
| 1 April 2017 to 31 March 2025 | £200 a year |
| 1 March 2001 to 31 March 2017 | £20 a year |
The £200 standard rate is the same as for a petrol or diesel car registered since April 2017. If you pay by 12 monthly Direct Debits the total is £210, and a six-month payment is £110 (£105 by Direct Debit).
The expensive car supplement
Some cars pay an extra £440 a year on top of the standard rate. GOV.UK calls this the additional rate. It is often called the expensive car supplement.
- It applies to electric cars first registered on or after 1 April 2025 with a list price of more than £50,000.
- For petrol, diesel and other cars the threshold stays at more than £40,000.
- Electric cars registered before 1 April 2025 do not pay it.
- It lasts for five years, starting from the second time the car is taxed. So a new EV listed over £50,000 pays £10 in year one, then £640 a year in years two to six, then £200 a year.
The threshold for electric cars used to be £40,000. The government raised it to £50,000 for zero-emission cars at Budget 2025, for tax licences that start on or after 1 April 2026. HMRC's policy paper says this means most EVs registered from 1 April 2025 with a list price between £40,000 and £50,000 will not have to pay the supplement.
What counts as the list price
GOV.UK defines the list price as the published price of the vehicle before it is registered for the first time, before any discounts. It is not what you paid, and a used car keeps the list price it had when new. Ask your dealer to confirm the figure before you buy, especially if the car is close to £50,000.
How this compares with a new petrol car
A new petrol car pays a first-year rate based on its CO2 emissions. On the GOV.UK table for cars registered from 1 April 2026, a petrol car emitting 111 to 130g/km pays £455 in the first year, and one emitting 131 to 150g/km pays £560. From the second year it pays the same £200 standard rate as an EV, plus £440 a year for five years if its list price was over £40,000.
So at 2026/27 rates, over its first six years a new EV listed under £50,000 pays £1,010 in total (£10, then five years at £200). A new petrol car in the 111 to 130g/km band, listed under £40,000, pays £1,455 (£455, then five years at £200). Rates can change each April, so later years may cost more.
Pay-per-mile tax from 2028 (planned)
The government plans a new Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) from 1 April 2028. HM Treasury's policy paper, published on 13 July 2026, sets the rate at 3p a mile for battery electric cars and 1.5p a mile for plug-in hybrids, rising with inflation from 2029 to 2030. It would be paid alongside normal vehicle tax, based on an odometer reading and an estimate of your mileage for the year ahead.
At 8,000 miles a year, 3p a mile would be £240 a year. It is not yet law: primary legislation still has to be passed, so the details could change. Our calculator lets you include it or leave it out.
Guernsey and Jersey
This guide covers UK vehicle tax only. Guernsey and Jersey have their own rules, and the calculator does not apply UK vehicle tax when you choose either island. See our Channel Islands charging guide for island electricity prices.
Frequently asked questions
Do electric cars pay road tax in 2026?
Yes. Electric cars have paid vehicle tax since 1 April 2025. From 1 April 2026 the standard rate is £200 a year. A new EV pays £10 for its first year.
Which electric cars pay the £440 supplement?
Electric cars first registered on or after 1 April 2025 with a list price of more than £50,000. It is paid for five years from the second year of tax. EVs registered before 1 April 2025 do not pay it.
Is an EV listed at exactly £50,000 affected?
No. GOV.UK says the supplement applies to electric cars with a list price of more than £50,000.
Will EV drivers pay per mile?
The government plans a charge of 3p a mile for electric cars from 1 April 2028, paid with your vehicle tax. It still needs legislation, so treat it as planned rather than certain.
Related guides
- EV vs petrol: what actually drives cost
- How much does it cost to charge an EV at home?
- Cheapest off-peak EV tariffs in the UK
Sources (all checked 9 October 2026)
- GOV.UK (DVLA): Vehicle tax for electric, zero and low emission vehicles (last updated 2 April 2026)
- GOV.UK: Vehicle tax rates for cars registered on or after 1 April 2017
- GOV.UK (DVLA): Vehicle tax rates V149, from 1 April 2026
- HMRC: Increase in the VED Expensive Car Supplement threshold for zero emission cars
- HM Treasury: Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) (published 13 July 2026)