Electric vehicle owners warned to prepare for £211 April double blow

Running costs for EVs are about to get much higher as owners warned to prepare

EV owners will have to pay tax for the first time from April.(Image: (Image: Getty))

Hundreds of thousands of electric vehicle (EV) owners are being warned to prepare for a double hit to their bank balances from April.

Two big changes are coming at the same time which will leave EV drivers having to fork out more to run their cars.

Firstly, they will be made to pay vehicle tax for the first time from April.

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This will leave most EV owners – those whose cars were registered between April 2017 and the end of March 2025 – having to fork out £195 a year, a cost they may not be accustomed to if they have been driving electric for some time.

EV vehicle tax has previously been free but Government changes mean that is ending from April.

Owners will now pay the same rate as petrol and diesel drivers.

That’s not all electric drivers need to think about.

Energy bills are also going up in April, meaning charging costs will be increasing in a further blow.

The average cost of a full charge at home is expected to increase from £14 to £16

Campaigners have questioned the introduction of tax for EVs, given the push to move drivers away from petrol and diesel motors before the ban on new models in 2030.

But the Government says it will make the system fairer for everyone – while also bringing in more money in tax.

Owners of new EVs, registered after April 2025, will only have to pay £10 in vehicle tax before the charge rises to the standard £195 from the second year onwards.

Those with older electric cars, registered before April 2017, will pay the lower rate of £20.

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