How Much Is Car Tax on an Electric Car in the UK? 2026/27 Rates Explained

Until April 2025, electric car owners in the UK paid no Vehicle Excise Duty (VED). That ended on 1 April 2025, and if you own or are about to buy an electric car you now need to budget for road tax like everyone else. This guide covers what you will pay in 2026/27, how the "expensive car supplement" works for EVs, and what changes are planned. Every figure comes from the official GOV.UK rate tables.

To check the tax on any car by emissions and list price, use the free >UK Car Tax Calculator.

The short answer

For most electric cars registered on or after 1 April 2017, the 2026/27 costs are:

• First year (when the car is first registered): £10
• Every year after that: £200 if you pay for 12 months at once
• Extra if the list price was over £50,000: another £440 a year, so £640 in total, for five years from the second tax payment

Source: >GOV.UK – Vehicle tax rates for cars registered on or after 1 April 2017.

Why electric cars now pay VED

From 1 April 2025, zero-emission cars started paying VED so that all drivers contribute to roads as more people switch to electric. Before that date, EVs fell in the £0 band. Now they pay the same standard rate as petrol, diesel and hybrid cars. The official guidance is on >GOV.UK – Vehicle tax rates.

Rates by registration date

How much you pay depends mainly on when the car was first registered.

Registered on or after 1 April 2025 (new EVs)

• First tax payment: £10, the 0g/km CO2 band.
• From the second payment: the standard rate of £200 a year.
• If the list price was over £50,000: £640 a year (standard rate plus £440) for five years.

Registered between 1 April 2017 and 31 March 2025

These EVs paid nothing in their first year. Since April 2025 they pay the standard rate of £200 a year at their next renewal.

The expensive car supplement for these older cars depends on the date. GOV.UK says that a zero-emission car registered before 1 April 2025 does not pay the supplement. Electric cars registered between 1 April 2025 and 31 March 2026 do pay it if their list price was above the threshold.

Registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017

Older EVs were taxed on the CO2-based system, where 0g/km is Band A. From April 2025 they moved to the lowest paid band, which is a small fraction of the standard rate. Check the >GOV.UK rate table for cars registered 2001–2017 for the current Band A figure.

Payment options and what they really cost

The £200 standard rate can be paid in several ways. Some cost more than others:

Payment method 2026/27 cost Single 12-month payment £200 12-month payment by Direct Debit £200 12 monthly Direct Debits £210 total Single 6-month payment £110 6-month payment by Direct Debit £105

Paying monthly costs about 5% more. Two six-month payments cost £210 to £220. If you can afford it, paying for the year up front is cheapest.

The expensive car supplement explained

The supplement is the part that catches out the most EV buyers.

• What it is: an extra £440 a year in 2026/27.
• Who pays: cars with a list price over £40,000 (petrol and diesel) or over £50,000 for electric cars, according to the current GOV.UK table.
• How long: five years, starting from the second time the car is taxed. Years 2 to 6, in other words.
• "List price" means: the published price before the car was first registered, including options. Discounts do not count. A £52,000 EV bought for £47,000 still pays.

Worked example. You buy a new EV with a list price of £55,000 in May 2026.

• Year 1: £10
• Years 2 to 6: £640 a year, which is £3,200 in total
• Year 7 onwards: £200 a year

Total VED over the first seven years: £10 + £3,200 + £200 = £3,410.

The same buyer choosing an EV with a £45,000 list price would pay £10 + 6 × £200 = £1,210 over seven years. That is a difference of about £2,200, which is worth knowing when you compare models and option packs.

Second-hand EVs: what you will pay

When you buy a used car, the vehicle tax does not transfer to you. You must tax it yourself before you drive it, at >GOV.UK – Tax your vehicle. The amount depends on the car's original registration date and list price, not on what you paid for it. A three-year-old EV that cost £60,000 new will still owe the supplement until its sixth year of tax.

Hybrids are not the same as EVs

Hybrids and plug-in hybrids count as "alternative fuel" vehicles. Their first-year rate depends on CO2 emissions; a plug-in hybrid at 1–50g/km pays £115, for example. After that they pay the same £200 standard rate. The official tables are at the GOV.UK link above.

What is planned next: pay-per-mile for EVs

At Budget 2025 the government announced Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED), a mileage charge for electric and plug-in hybrid cars from April 2028, paid on top of normal VED. The government estimates an average EV driver will pay around £240 a year (£20 a month), with a lower rate for plug-in hybrids, and says drivers will not have to report where or when they drive. Source: >GOV.UK – Budget 2025. The details are still out for consultation, so check GOV.UK before planning around them. This post will be updated when the rules are final.

How to check what your car will cost

1. Find the first registration date and CO2 figure on the V5C logbook or the >GOV.UK vehicle enquiry service.
2. Find the original list price. Ask the dealer or check the manufacturer's price list for that year.
3. Put the figures into the >UK Car Tax Calculator.

If you are buying with finance, see the >UK Mortgage Calculator for monthly repayment maths, or the >Take-Home Pay Calculator to see how running costs fit your budget. For other UK money guides, read How much tax will I pay on my salary? and How to calculate VAT in the UK.

Other EV costs that changed

• London Congestion Charge: the 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount ended on 25 December 2025. Since 2 January 2026, electric cars registered for Auto Pay get a 25% discount, so they pay £13.50 instead of the £18 daily charge. Without Auto Pay there is no discount, and from 4 March 2030 it falls to 12.5%. Source: >TfL – Changes to the Congestion Charging scheme.
• Company cars: the benefit-in-kind rate for zero-emission cars is 4% in 2026/27, up from 3% in 2025/26, and is set to reach 5% in 2027/28. See >GOV.UK – Appropriate percentage for company car benefits.

FAQs

Do electric cars pay road tax in 2026?

Yes. Since 1 April 2025 electric cars pay VED. New EVs pay £10 in the first year and then the £200 standard rate.

Is road tax for an electric car £200?

Yes, for most EVs in 2026/27 when paid annually. Cars with a list price over £50,000 pay £640 for years 2 to 6.

Does the £50,000 rule use the price I paid?

No. It uses the published list price before first registration, including options and before any discount.

My EV was registered in 2022. Do I pay the expensive car supplement?

GOV.UK says zero-emission cars registered before 1 April 2025 are exempt from the supplement. You pay the £200 standard rate.

Can I still get a £0 tax disc for an EV?

Not for most EVs. Only some exempt vehicles still pay nothing, for example cars used by disabled drivers who get qualifying benefits. See >GOV.UK – Vehicle exempt from vehicle tax.

Is it cheaper to pay monthly?

No. Monthly Direct Debit costs £210 a year, compared with £200 paid in one go.

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Figures are from GOV.UK and were checked in October 2026. Tax rates change each April, so confirm them on GOV.UK before you pay. This article is general information, not financial advice.