End of the EV free ride: per-mile tax on the horizon

Electric cars are losing their main advantage: the per-mile road tax is gaining ground in Europe

First came the rise in electricity prices at rapid charging points. Now, what electric vehicle drivers antiestéticared most: a new tax on the miles driven. The logic is overwhelming: governments lose billions in fuel taxes as the vehicle fleet goes electric. And they are not going to give up that revenue.

In the United Kingdom, a pay-per-mile scheme for electric cars is already under study. The European Union is trinc the debate closely. The temptation to tax usage instead of fuel is too great for governments that need to maintain their revenue. The environmental sustainability argument is fading away: you pay for polluting, but also for not polluting.

How mileage will be measured remains the big unknown. GPS has been ruled out because of the controversy surrounding location tracking. Options remain such as mileage declared at the roadworthiness test (ITV, Spain's vehicle inspection) or odometer-based systems. But whatever the method, the result will be the same: the electric car will stop being that tax haven on wheels.

Diesel defenders are rubbing their hands: "I in LOVE with my diesel," sums up one user. The antiestéticar that the electric car's cost per mile could exceed that of diesel from 20 years ago is not far-fetched once you add expensive charging, mandatory servicing and now a variable tax. The first hit was free; the second, at market price.

While governments decide how to count the miles, the message for consumers is clear: if you bought an electric car thinking of saving on taxes, do the maths again. Because what is not collected at the pump will be collected on the road.