EVs will have to pay London's congestion charge from January

EV drivers will have to pay inner London’s Congestion Charge as part of a push to lower the number of vehicles driving into the capital.

Announced on Thursday by London mayor Sadiq Khan, prices have been set at £13.50 for electric cars and £9 for electric vans.

Previously, all EVs (including those powered by a hydrogen fuel cell) were exempt from the charges under the Cleaner Vehicle Discount. 

Khan said that without this change, it's predicted that 2200 more vehicles would have entered the zone each day from 2026. 

He added adding that 20% of vehicles that enter the zone currently are electric – and that congestion cost London firms £3.85 billion last year.

“Keeping London moving by reducing congestion is vital for our city and for our economy,” he said. “While the Congestion Charge has been a huge success since its introduction [in 2003], we must ensure it stays fit for purpose.”

As part of the changes, which will come into force on 2 January 2026, the charge for ICE vehicles will increase from £15 to £18, Transport for London (TfL) confirmed earlier this year.

Discounts of up to 90% will continue to be given for residents who live within the zone. Those who move to the zone after 1 March 2027 (and are not on any type of benefit) will get the discount only for an EV.

This news comes a week after the UK government announced plans for a new pay-per-mile road taxing system for EVs. 

This move has been criticised by automotive industry bosses as a way of putting off EV ownership at a time when car makers are being legally forced to increase EV sales by the ZEV mandate.

Critics of Khan’s new EV charges argue the same. AA president Edmund King, for instance, called it “a backward step which sadly will backfire on air quality in London”. 

He said: “Many drivers are not quite ready to make the switch to electric vehicles, so incentives are still needed to help them over the line.

"The mayor needs to reconsider to continue to help more essential van and car journeys in the capital go electric."