EV pay-per-mile (eVED) calculator
From April 2028 the government plans to charge electric cars 3p per mile and plug-in hybrids 1.5p, on top of normal road tax. Work out your annual bill. Then see whether your EV still beats petrol once the charge lands.
Your car and driving
Charging costs
Petrol car to compare
Your result
Enter your mileage and press calculate.
Assumptions: VED standard rate £200 (2026/27 announced rate); Expensive Car Supplement £440/yr where the list price exceeds your threshold (payable in years 2 to 6 of the car's life, shown here as a flat figure for comparison). eVED rates are the Budget 2025 proposal and are not yet law.
What is eVED?
Electric Vehicle Excise Duty is the government's answer to a £24 billion problem. As drivers switch to electric cars, the Treasury loses the fuel duty that petrol and diesel drivers pay at the pump. The new charge was announced at the November 2025 Budget. From April 2028, electric cars pay 3p per mile and plug-in hybrids pay 1.5p per mile. The rate is set at roughly half the per-mile fuel duty an average petrol driver pays, so going electric still saves money. The Office for Budget Responsibility expects the charge to raise £1.1 billion in its first year.
The consultation on the scheme closed on 18 March 2026. The proposed mechanics are simple. You estimate your annual mileage and pay upfront or in instalments alongside your normal VED. At the end of the year, you settle the difference. Mileage is checked at the MOT. Cars under three years old attend an accredited mileage check instead. There are no trackers, and the government will not collect data on where or when you drive. Only cars are in scope at launch. Vans and motorcycles are excluded. UK-registered cars pay for all miles driven, including trips abroad.
What it means in practice
For a typical 8,500-mile year, eVED comes to about £255. Add the standard VED rate of £200 and the average EV driver pays around £455 a year in road tax. The bill is higher if the car's list price was above the Expensive Car Supplement threshold when new. That threshold is £40,000 for most cars. It rises to £50,000 for zero-emission cars from April 2026, for EVs registered from April 2025. The higher threshold spares many mid-market EVs the extra £440.
The comparison that matters is against petrol. A 45mpg petrol car at 142p per litre costs about 14p per mile in fuel alone. Roughly 5p of that is fuel duty plus the VAT charged on it. Home charging at 24p/kWh and 3.7 miles per kWh costs about 6.5p per mile. On a cheap overnight EV tariff, it can fall below 2.5p. Even with eVED added, home-charged EVs remain far cheaper per mile. The picture is tighter for drivers who rely on public rapid charging. That is one reason the government has launched a review of public charging costs.
Frequently asked questions
Is eVED definitely happening?
It's government policy with a consultation completed, but legislation hasn't been introduced yet. Rates, mechanics, and even the start date could change before April 2028. This page tracks the current proposal and will be updated as the rules firm up.
Will petrol cars pay per mile too?
Not under this proposal. Petrol and diesel drivers already pay per mile in effect, through fuel duty. That duty is also rising. The 5p cut ends in 2026, and rates return to 57.95p per litre by March 2027.
What happens if I under-declare my mileage?
The consultation proposes checking your declared mileage against odometer readings taken at the MOT. Cars under three years old attend an accredited check instead. Underpayments would then be corrected. The exact penalty regime is part of the consultation.
Does eVED apply to vans and motorbikes?
No. Only cars are in scope at the outset, because the electric transition is less advanced for vans and motorcycles.
Do company cars and salary sacrifice EVs pay it?
eVED attaches to the vehicle alongside VED, so it applies regardless of how the car is funded. For salary sacrifice drivers, expect it to be handled within the lease arrangement. It is worth factoring into quotes for contracts running past April 2028.
Sources: HM Treasury, Consultation on the Introduction of Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (GOV.UK, 2025 to 2026); House of Commons Library briefing CBP-10607; Autumn Budget 2025 documents. This page is general information, not tax or financial advice.