Millions of drivers will be hit with major car tax changes in just a few weeks time – and it could cost you thousands of pounds. If you purchase a new car from April 2025, the first-year car tax rate – known as the showroom tax – is going up. This includes electric vehicles (EVs) which will be subject to paying car tax for this first time from this April.
You currently don’t pay any car tax if you have an EV. But from April 2025, if you purchase a brand new electric, zero or low emission cars, you will need to pay the lowest first year rate of vehicle tax of £10. Then from the second tax payment onwards, you’ll be charged the standard rate which is charged to all cars registered after April 2017. This rate is currently £190 a year, but is rising to £195 from April 2025.
If you buy a car that emits between 1-50g/km of CO2 after April 2025, including hybrid vehicles, the first-year car tax rate will rise from £10 to £110. The rates for new cars emitting 51-75g/km of CO2 will increase from £30 to £130, while all other rates for cars emitting 76g/km of CO2 and above will double from their current level. For a car that emits over 255g/km of CO2, the first-year car tax rate will double from £2,745 to £5,490. You can find a full list of the changes below.
As we’ve mentioned above, all cars registered after April 2017 currently pay the standard car tax rate of £190, and this is rising to £195 from April 2025. But there are different car tax rates for cars that were registered between March 1, 2001 and March 31, 2017. If you have an electric, zero or low emission cars that was registered between these dates, you currently pay no car tax – but from April 2025, you will pay £20 a year.
If your car produces between 101-110g/km of CO2, or between 111-120g/km of CO2, you’re charged £20 or £35 a year in car tax, respectively. These rates won’t be changing from this April – but for cars that produce more CO2 than these levels, the rate of car tax is going up. For example, if your car produces between 121-130g/km of CO2, the yearly rate for car tax is rising from £160 to £165, while a vehicle that produces over 255g/km of CO2 will be charged £760 from April, up from its current rate of £735.
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