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  "path": "/lifestyle/cars/rachel-reeves-car-taxes-petrol-diesel-electric-2026",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-09T15:29:16.000Z",
  "site": "https://www.gbnews.com",
  "tags": [
    "Motorists urged to buy '20mph is plenty' stickers as lower speed limits dominate roads",
    "DVLA unveils major new driving licence measures ahead of digital ID rollout impacting millions",
    "Motorists told to avoid using cars to save fuel as oil crisis restricts petrol and diesel owners",
    "The GB News Editorial Charter"
  ],
  "textContent": "\n\n\nMotorists have been warned they have only a few weeks left until new Vehicle Excise Duty rates come into force on April 1, slamming millions with higher car taxes.\n\nThe standard annual VED charge will rise by £5, moving from £195 to £200 for the majority of vehicles registered after April 2017.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe increase announced at the Autumn Budget by Chancellor Rachel Reeves applies to petrol, diesel, hybrid and electric cars, meaning drivers renewing their tax from next month onwards will pay the revised amount.\n\nNew EVs registered from April face a first-year charge of £10 before moving to the standard £200 rate in subsequent years.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nTRENDING\n\nStories\n\nVideos\n\nYour Say\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe changes arrive as battery electric vehicles continue gaining ground on British roads.\n\nBy the end of January 2026, more than 1.85 million BEVs were registered in the UK, accounting for approximately 5.4 per cent of the nation's 34 million vehicle fleet.\n\nRhydian Jones, car insurance expert at Confused.com, warned: \"At a time when many other motoring costs are also set to rise this year, these new rates may come as unwelcome news for some drivers.\n\n\"The key thing is to make sure you understand how the new rates apply to your car so you can plan ahead.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThe Chancellor revealed plans for the Expensive Car Supplement threshold for electric vehicles to increase substantially, rising from £40,000 to £50,000 from April 1.\n\nThis additional levy, which totals £2,370 and is spread across five years beginning in the second year of ownership, will no longer apply to battery electric cars priced at £50,000 or below.\n\nExperts have noted how this change could be a welcome update as many family-sized EVs fall into the £40,000 to £50,000 price bracket.\n\nThe change also benefits drivers who purchased electric vehicles between April 2025 and March 2026 with list prices in that range.\n\n### LATEST DEVELOPMENTS\n\n\n\n\n  * Motorists urged to buy '20mph is plenty' stickers as lower speed limits dominate roads\n  * DVLA unveils major new driving licence measures ahead of digital ID rollout impacting millions\n  * Motorists told to avoid using cars to save fuel as oil crisis restricts petrol and diesel owners\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nThese owners, who would previously have faced the supplement from their second year of taxation, will now avoid the extra charge when renewing from April onwards.\n\nBuyers of new diesel vehicles face the steepest increases under the revised tax structure as first year VED rates for diesel cars registered from April 1 2026, will climb dramatically, with the most polluting models emitting over 255g/km of CO2 subject to charges reaching £5,690.\n\nFor vehicles registered between March 2001 and April 2017, the highest-polluting band will see annual rates rise from £750 to £790.\n\nMr Jones cautioned that the amount drivers pay depends on both their vehicle's registration date and fuel type, urging motorists to check their specific circumstances before renewal deadlines arrive.\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n###\n\n\n\n\nFrom April 2028, a new pay-per-mile tax will be introduced to compensate for declining fuel duty revenue, charging battery electric cars 3p per mile, and plug-in hybrids 1.5p per mile.\n\nRichard Evans, from webuyanycar, calculated that for a typical battery EV driver covering 8,500 miles annually, this would add roughly £255 in yearly expenses.\n\nHe added: \"To find out which set of tax bands applies to your car, check the date of registration in your V5C logbook, and use a car tax checker tool to check if your car is taxed.\n\n\"If your car was first registered from March 1, 2001, you can also use our CO2 emissions check tool to find its emissions level. From here, you can work out how much car tax you'll have to pay.\"\n\n###\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n**Our Standards:The GB News Editorial Charter **",
  "title": "Countdown to Rachel Reeves' new car taxes commences as petrol and diesel drivers given weeks to prepare"
}