THOUSANDS of EV drivers will be hit a major blow as a £13.50-per-day congestion charge will be introduced to roads next year.
The new charge is being introduced in central London with hopes to reduce the number of cars coming into the capital.
London’s Congestion Charge was announced by mayor Sadiq Khan today, being set at £13.50 for electric cars, and £9 for electric vans.
There are currently reported to be around 193,000 electric vehicles in London, projected to reach 1.4 million being used in 2030.
Updates to the levy will mark the first time electric vehicle drivers will be required to pay to enter the city centre.
Previously, all EVs were exempt from charges under the Cleaner Vehicle Discount.
This is, however, at a lower rate than other vehicles which are petrol or diesel generated.
They are actually receiving a 20 per cent rise in their levy from £15 to £18, Transport for London confirmed earlier this year.
Khan has estimated that 2200 more vehicles would enter the zone each day from next year if these changes are not made.
He added that 20 per cent of the cars currently entering are electric.
Congestion was said to have cost London firms around £3.85 billion last year.
The mayor said: “Keeping London moving by reducing congestion is vital for our city and for our economy.
“While the Congestion Charge has been a huge success since its introduction [in 2003], we must ensure it stays fit for purpose.”
The changes will come into force on January 2, 2026.
Residents who live within the zone will still be able to get a discount of up to 90 per cent on these charges.
However, those who move to zone 1 after March 1, 2027, and are not on any type of benefits, will only get the discount if they have an EV.
This news comes just a week after the government announced plans for a new pay-per-mile road taxing system for electric vehicles.
It involves a levy of 3p per mile driven in an EV, as the government hopes to fill an emerging gap in fuel duty revenues.
The measure is set to be introduced in 2028, pending a public consultation.
Criticism has come from automotive industry bosses around this, as it may put people off owning an EV at a time when car makers are being forced to increase their sales of EVs through the ZEV mandate.
Khan has also received criticism for the new charges on EVs with the same argument.
AA president Edmund King said it was “a backward step which sadly will backfire on air quality in London”.
He added: “Many drivers are not quite ready to make the switch to electric vehicles, so incentives are still needed to help them over the line.
“The mayor needs to reconsider to continue to help more essential van and car journeys in the capital go electric.”
