April 13, 2026 in United Kingdom — With electric vehicles now mainstream and petrol cars still dominant, comparing road tax costs between the two is essential for any car buyer in 2026. This guide provides a complete VED comparison between electric and petrol cars, including first-year rates, standard annual rates, and long-term ownership costs.
First-Year Road Tax: Electric vs Petrol
Since April 2025, the first-year road tax rules changed significantly for electric vehicles. Here is how first-year VED compares:
| Vehicle Type | First-Year VED (2026) | From Year 2 |
|---|---|---|
| New Pure EV (registered April 2025+) | £0 | £195/year |
| New Petrol (0-100g/km) | £0 | £195/year |
| New Petrol (101-110g/km) | £10 | £285/year |
| New Petrol (131-150g/km) | £130 | £445/year |
| New Petrol (151-165g/km) | £195 | £600/year |
| New Petrol (181-200g/km) | £260 | £755/year |
| Pre-April 2025 EV (any CO2) | £0 | £0/year (grandfathered) |
Annual Road Tax After Year 1: EV vs Petrol
From year two onwards, the standard VED rate applies. Pure electric vehicles registered from April 2025 onwards pay £195/year — the same as the lowest petrol band. High-emission petrol cars pay significantly more:
- Low-emission petrol (100g/km or less): £195/year — same as post-2025 EV
- Medium-emission petrol (130-150g/km): £445/year — £250 more than EV
- High-emission petrol (180-200g/km): £755/year — £560 more than EV
- High-emission petrol (201-225g/km): £1,280/year — £1,085 more than EV
5-Year Road Tax Cost Comparison
Over a 5-year ownership period, the cumulative road tax difference between an EV and a high-emission petrol car is substantial:
- EV (post-April 2025) vs 180g/km petrol: Year 1: £0 vs £260. Years 2-5: 4 x £195 = £780 vs 4 x £755 = £3,020. Total: £780 vs £3,280 — EV saves £2,500 over 5 years.
- EV vs 140g/km petrol: Year 1: £0 vs £100. Years 2-5: 4 x £195 = £780 vs 4 x £365 = £1,460. Total: £780 vs £1,560 — EV saves £780 over 5 years.
- EV vs 100g/km petrol: Year 1: £0 vs £0. Years 2-5: 4 x £195 = £780 vs 4 x £195 = £780. Total: £780 vs £780 — identical cost.
Where EVs Still Have a Road Tax Advantage
For premium EVs priced over £40,000, there is a small additional annual supplement of £410 for years 2-5 (for vehicles priced over £40,000). This brings the EV cost to £605/year for years 2-5 for premium EVs. However, even with the supplement, high-emission petrol cars (£755+/year) are still more expensive in road tax than premium EVs (£605/year).
Pre-April 2025 EVs: The True Zero-Cost Option
Vehicles registered before April 1, 2025 with zero CO2 emissions (pure electric) continue to pay £0 road tax indefinitely — they are grandfathered at zero annual rate. This means a pre-April 2025 EV owner pays nothing in road tax for as long as they own the vehicle, saving £195/year compared to a post-April 2025 EV and £560+ per year compared to a Band H petrol car.
Plug-in Hybrid Comparison
Plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) with CO2 emissions of 1-50g/km pay £195/year from year two — the same as a pure EV. The first-year rate is also £0. So from a pure road tax perspective, a PHEV and a pure EV cost the same. However, PHEVs have a petrol/diesel engine that may incur additional tax considerations for company car Benefit-in-Kind (BiK) purposes.
Petrol Cars That Match EV Road Tax
Not all petrol cars cost more to tax than EVs. Low-emission petrol cars in the 0-100g/km band (typically small 1.0-1.4L naturally aspirated engines) pay exactly the same road tax as a post-April 2025 EV from year two onwards: £195/year. The road tax difference comes from the vehicle's CO2 emissions, not its fuel type — which means a low-emission petrol hybrid (like a Toyota Prius) has the same VED cost as a pure EV.
Company Car Tax: EV vs Petrol
For company car drivers, the BiK tax difference between EV and petrol is even more dramatic. A £50,000 pure EV at 5% BiK rate costs £2,500 in Benefit-in-Kind value per year, with a 40% taxpayer paying £1,000/year in personal income tax. The same £50,000 petrol car at 20% BiK rate costs £10,000 in BiK value, with a 40% taxpayer paying £4,000/year — four times more.
Conclusion
Road tax comparison: post-April 2025 EVs match the cheapest petrol cars (£195/year from year 2) but beat medium and high-emission petrol cars by £250-£1,085/year. Pre-April 2025 EVs pay £0 road tax indefinitely. High-emission petrol drivers pay the most — up to £1,280/year. Use GOV.UK VED rate tables to compare your specific vehicle's road tax cost.