THE Conservative leader of Northumberland County Council has criticised plans that will require drivers of electric vehicles to pay road tax.

Starting April 2025, electric vehicle (EV) owners will be required to pay road tax. EVs were previously exempt in a bid to convince more drivers to switch from petrol and diesel cars – but from next year that will no longer be the case.

The changes – first announced under the Tory Government in 2022 – will bring EVs in line with internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles.

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However, the leader of Conservative-led Northumberland County Council Glen Sanderson said the move was a “slap in the face” to EV drivers.

Cllr Sanderson said: “This announcement, which was slipped in over the weekend, is a serious and very disappointing step. For many, the free road tax was the incentive to go for an electric car.

“The previous Government deliberately did not change this tax to help the UK on its green promises. This is a slap in the face for climate change, and for all those who bought electric cars.”

Electric and low-emission cars registered between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2025 will pay the “standard rate” of tax. This is £190 for 2024, but the Government say is “subject to change” for 2025.

The council is installing rapid EV chargers in towns across the county, aiming to add ten to the existing network of 243 by March 2025.

Responding to Cllr Sanderson’s comments, a spokesman for the Treasury said: “We are committed to supporting our automotive sector as we transition to electric vehicles in order to meet our legally binding climate targets.”

It was pointed out that the decision to tax electric vehicles was announced at the Autumn Statement in 2022 by the Conservatives. Furthermore, the number of electric vehicles registered in September 2023 was 93,000 – an increase of 41 per cent on September 2022.

Labour’s manifesto set out an intention to accelerate the rollout of charge points as well as a commitment to restore the phase-out date of ICE cars in 2030 – something pushed back to 2035 under Rishi Sunak.

Buyers of second-hand EVs will be supported by standardising information supplied on the condition of batteries.