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From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.<\/p>\n
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Your support makes all the difference.<\/strong><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nRead more<\/span><\/svg><\/span><\/button><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/aside>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\nC<\/span>hancellor Rachel Reeves\u2019s plan to introduce a 3p-per-mile tax on electric vehicles has sparked debate among Independent<\/em> readers.<\/p>\nMany said a per-mile charge is a fairer way to tax drivers, as those who travel more would pay more, and could help replace lost fuel duty revenue without unfairly penalising electric vehicle (EV) owners.<\/p>\n
Others raised concerns about fairness, particularly for rural drivers, plug-in hybrid owners, and those who rely on cars for essential trips.<\/p>\n
Many warned that self-reported mileage could be open to abuse, with a few suggesting linking charges to MOT mileage logs to avoid monitoring issues.<\/p>\n
Several readers highlighted the environmental benefits of EVs, from lower air pollution to reduced oil imports and cheaper running costs, cautioning that extra taxes could slow the transition and undermine net-zero goals.<\/p>\n
Some argued that fuel duty already falls short of the environmental cost of petrol and diesel, and agreed with The AA that any EV tax must be carefully balanced to avoid becoming a \u201cpoll tax on wheels\u201d. <\/p>\n
Others proposed broader reforms, such as taxing all vehicles by mileage or adjusting fuel duty to encourage EV adoption.<\/p>\n
Here\u2019s what you had to say:<\/p>\n
Per-mile charge is fairer<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\nPersonally, a per-mile charge seems a much fairer way of taxing motorists \u2013 those that drive more, pay more. However, I would sweeten the deal by including third-party insurance into the price of fuel, as they do in Australia \u2013 you then opt to pay extra for fully comprehensive. <\/p>\n
Dotcom 1970<\/em><\/p>\n
Lost fuel duty<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\nAs an EV driver, I have always accepted that at some point the government will need a replacement for lost fuel duty. A per-mile charge is the fairest solution. I will still save thousands every year at the rates being discussed. <\/p>\n
SteveHill<\/em><\/p>\n
Hybrids<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\nHow would I be treated? I have a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle. Am I going to pay petrol tax and EV mileage tax? We already pay tax on the electricity.<\/p>\n
The trouble with politics and political parties is they are looking towards the next election, so decisions that should have been made five, ten, or twenty years ago are not made. Thus, we end up with our country in a mess. <\/p>\n
myOpinion<\/em><\/p>\n
Heavier EVs and road wear<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\nI’ve never understood why EVs weren\u2019t taxed given their heavier weight and increased torque being put through the wheels, hastening the wear on road surfaces. Tyres are also a major pollutant, with EV weight producing more there. Why not a much lower yearly tax pro-rataed to the car\u2019s weight rather than a pay-per-mile tariff? <\/p>\n
VonGenschler<\/em><\/p>\n
EV benefits to the UK economy<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\nWhen someone in the UK switches from petrol or diesel to an EV, they benefit the UK in several ways:<\/p>\n
\n
\nCharging an EV at home can be up to 75 per cent cheaper than buying fuel \u2013 these savings will be spent elsewhere in the UK economy. <\/li>\n Less money leaves the UK to purchase oil imports. <\/li>\n Less air pollution equals a healthier workforce and lower NHS costs. <\/li>\n If charged using renewable power, this aids local clean energy investment and can, with the use of smart charging technologies, help stabilise the grid. <\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<\/div>\nThere is no doubt that any tax that applies to EVs only will slow the transition from fossil fuel cars and thus will have a negative economic impact that will negate much of the financial benefit of a new government revenue source. For all of these reasons, Reeves should either apply a lower charge to all cars or shelve the idea entirely. <\/p>\n
ledbydonkeys<\/em><\/p>\n
Only pay for distance travelled<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\nAt the moment, I pay for a lot of fuel tax wasted by sitting in congested traffic and polluting the environment. At least in an EV, I will only pay for actual distance travelled.<\/p>\n
One concern is the increase in rat-running through country lanes and villages in an attempt to avoid a slightly longer trip on main roads\/motorways. <\/p>\n
Holly<\/em><\/p>\n
Increase petrol tax<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\nIf revenue from gas is falling, surely the smart thing to do is to increase the petrol tax to make up for the shortfall, which would induce more people to switch to EVs. Then the government could look elsewhere to balance the books. Taxing the rich more would be a good place to start.<\/p>\n
But if this is how a Labour government behaves, maybe the UK needs a new political party that will actually stand up for both working people and the environment. <\/p>\n
FinnSmith<\/em><\/p>\n
Mileage reporting<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\nSome sort of charge is inevitable as the old fuel duty charge falls away with the decline of ICE vehicle usage. Requiring people to estimate it for themselves will be a carnival of enforcement problems. Any attempt to actually monitor travel will inevitably be a political football and open to legitimate concerns about location monitoring (particularly under a government determined to introduce mandatory digital ID for an ever-growing list of purposes).<\/p>\n
It would make far more sense for the car to simply record the number of charges given it over time and have a formula to combine that with the mileage tracker, similar to the way our electricity bills are done. The actual levels of charge they’re looking at seem fair enough; if anything, an EV will still be very significantly cheaper to run than an ICE car. <\/p>\n
PadraigMahone<\/em><\/p>\n
Pay-by-distance for all vehicles<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\nPerhaps introduce a pay-by-distance scheme for all vehicles regardless of the fuel used. The tax could be tweaked to disadvantage non-EV vehicles, for example.<\/p>\n
The process could be automated using the network of cameras covering the UK or reporting a vehicle\u2019s mileage could be an additional function of MOT stations. Vehicles of less than MOT age would simply report their vehicle’s mileage. <\/p>\n
GrumpyoldmanfromHove<\/em><\/p>\n
Anti-net-zero<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\nThis is bad news for efforts to reduce carbon emissions. Using Treasury guidance numbers for the environmental cost of carbon, fuel duty is already below the cost of the damage that petrol and diesel cars cause (this excludes health costs, incidentally). It currently amounts to about 5p per mile for a typical family car.<\/p>\n
If EVs are to be taxed at 3p per mile, this should imply a really big hike in fuel duty (petrol and diesel) if the economic incentive for low-carbon transport is to be sustained. Otherwise, this will be an anti-net-zero policy. <\/p>\n
Prester John<\/em><\/p>\n
Naive<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\nThe idea of a self-declared mileage tax is almost comically naive. It\u2019s like asking people to \u201cestimate\u201d how many pints they drank for excise duty purposes.<\/p>\n
Yes, the UK Treasury has indeed floated mileage-based taxation as fuel-duty revenue collapses with EV adoption. But so far, they\u2019re still groping for a politically survivable model.<\/p>\n
Officially, the Office for Budget Responsibility warned that by the mid-2030s, the UK will lose roughly \u00a330 billion a year in fuel and road taxes, so some form of per-mile system is inevitable.<\/p>\n
What the chancellor mentioned \u2013 the \u201cself-reporting\u201d idea \u2013 is more of a placeholder than a plan. Realistically, HMRC cannot enforce or verify mileage without telematics, MOT odometer uploads, or in-vehicle data.<\/p>\n
Most modern cars already generate precise mileage logs accessible through connected-car APIs, meaning the state wouldn\u2019t need to install anything new; they\u2019d just need legal access.<\/p>\n
Holladrio<\/em><\/p>\n
Rural concerns<\/strong><\/h2>\n<\/p>\nAs an EV owner, I appreciate that I should pay my fair share of tax. However, as I live in the country and have little or no access to public transportation, why should I have to pay for the additional distance to access shops and other local services? <\/p>\n
Craigman<\/em><\/p>\nSome of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.<\/em><\/p>\nWant to share <\/strong>your views<\/strong>? Simply register your details below. Once registered, you can comment on the day\u2019s top stories for a chance to be featured. Alternatively, click \u2018log in\u2019 or \u2018register\u2019 in the top right corner to sign in or sign up.<\/strong><\/p>\nMake sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found <\/strong>here<\/strong>. For a full guide on how to comment, <\/strong>click here<\/strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Your support helps us to tell the story From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging. At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story. The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it. Your support makes all the difference. Read more Chancellor Rachel Reeves\u2019s plan to introduce a 3p-per-mile tax on electric vehicles has sparked debate among Independent readers. Many said a per-mile charge is a fairer way to tax drivers, as those who travel more would pay more, and could help replace lost fuel duty revenue without unfairly penalising electric vehicle (EV) owners. Others raised concerns about fairness, particularly for rural drivers, plug-in hybrid owners, and those who rely on cars for essential trips. Many warned that self-reported mileage could be open to abuse, with a few suggesting linking charges to MOT mileage logs to avoid monitoring issues. Several readers highlighted the environmental benefits of EVs, from lower air pollution to reduced oil imports and cheaper running costs, cautioning that extra taxes could slow the transition and undermine net-zero goals. Some argued that fuel duty already falls short of the environmental cost of petrol and diesel, and agreed with The AA that any EV tax must be carefully balanced to avoid becoming a \u201cpo…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8255,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[2],"tags":[],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8254"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=8254"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8254\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/8255"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=8254"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=8254"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.seekyourlove.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=8254"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
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