Huge shake-up of the tax system now means more motorists have to pay
Tax forms will be arriving for more households.(Image: Getty Images)
The DVLA will be sending letters to certain drivers following a major rule change introduced last week.
Electric vehicle owners (EVs), who were previously exempt, now have to pay vehicle tax in the same way as petrol and diesel drivers.
It will be a big change for many EV owners to get adjusted to as they have become used to not paying, which was seen as a perk of switching to electric.
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The Government has scrapped those rules meaning they now have to pay like everyone else.
Tax forms will be arriving for EV owners when it is time for them to renew – and they will have to pay for the first time.
For those with cars made after 2017, there will be a £195 annual charge.
Those with older or brand-new cars will be subject to lower rates.
The standard tax rate has also risen for drivers of petrol and diesel cars, up from £190 to £195.
Chris Adams, group operations director at Brindley Group, explained: “From April 1, newly registered electric vehicles will pay £10 VED in the first year and then increase to £195 thereafter.
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“Electric cars registered between April 1 2017 and 2025 will pay £195 per year.”
He added: “These changes represent the Government’s commitment to electrifying the cars on Britain’s roads, ensuring that there is still adequate income from cars, even if they’re electric.