The move has sparked concerns that it could deter some individuals from making the switch to electric.
Owners of electric cars will have to start paying tax on their vehicles from April, as part of the government’s overhaul of the Vehicle Excise Duty (VED).
As of now, you don’t pay any car tax if you have an EV but, from April, anyone purchasing a new electric, zero or low emission car will have to pay the first-year rate of £10.
If you already own an electric, zero or low emission car, you will pay £20 a year from next Tuesday.
Hybrid cars emitting between 1 and 50g/km of CO2 will rise from £0 to £110 in year one.
From the second year of ownership, motorists will be put onto the standard VED fee which will stand at £195 from April 1.
This brings electric car fees into line with petrol and diesel vehicles registered after 2017.
The DVLA has confirmed that this change will apply to both new and existing vehicles.
Electric cars priced over £40,000 will also be charged the £195 standard VED fee, and owners could also be liable for an Expensive Car Supplement (ECS) charge which applies to brand-new models priced over £40,000.
This is an extra £425 fee which applies between the second and sixth year of motorists’ ownership. These fees are applied on top of the £195 standard fee which would bring total bills to an eye-watering £620 per year.
There are concerns amongst the environmental community that the move to introduce a tax on EVs could deter some individuals from making the switch to electric.
Millions of drivers will be hit in the pocket by the new tax changes, initially announced by the Labour government in their Autumn Budget last year.
Usually, people pay for their road tax online through the GOV.UK website after receiving a letter in the post saying it’s due. This letter will have a reference number that you’ll be asked to enter when you go to pay online.
If you didn’t get a letter or lost it, you can find your reference number in your vehicle logbook (V5C).
You can also pay your road tax over the phone, or even in your local post office.
If you don’t have this reference number on any document, you’ll need to apply for a new V5C logbook.
You can make a lump sum payment or spread the cost of car tax by paying monthly or every six months via Direct Debit.
There’s a 5% charge added on top if you pay monthly or every six months.