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Pay-per-mile risks halting EV adoption, warns EVA England

Across the most recent Transport Select Committee session, witnesses said that while supply is increasing, demand is not keeping pace.

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Government plans for a pay-per-mile charge risk holding back the next wave of EV adoption, according to a driver survey published by EVA England.

Across the most recent Transport Select Committee session, witnesses said that while supply is increasing, demand is not keeping pace.

EVA England warned that without changes, policies like eVED risk reinforcing existing barriers rather than helping more drivers make the switch.

Giving evidence to the Transport Select Committee, Vicky Edmonds, chief executive at EVA England, urged MPs to focus on the real-world barriers holding back wider adoption.

She said: “From a driver’s perspective, we are creating a two-tier transition.

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“We’ve got around 25% of new car sales electric, but only 5.5% of the overall car parc.

“Those getting into EVs love them. But they are disproportionately higher income and more likely to have driveways.

“Unless we make this work for a wider range of households, the transition will not reach the mass market.”

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EVA England’s evidence to the Committee highlighted three challenges: upfront cost, access to affordable charging, and policy uncertainty.

Edmonds told MPs that cost remains the defining barrier.

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Around half of drivers without access to home charging reported higher running costs than petrol or diesel, driven by the higher price of public charging.

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Alongside the survey, EVA England has published information on an analysis with Transport & Environment showing how Government support could be better targeted to help more households access EVs.

It sets out solutions, including subsidised social leasing schemes and simple ‘all-in-one’ packages combining vehicle, insurance and charging.

Eloise Sacares, vehicles policy senior researcher at Transport & Environment, said: “Social leasing is the perfect next step for the UK’s EV transition.

“With the introduction of eVED approaching, the government must put in place targeted incentives for those who currently drive ICE cars to transition to BEVs.

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“While the Electric Car Grant reduces costs for consumers who buy their cars upfront, there is currently no support for those who lease their vehicles.

“With the cheapest EV lease at £141 a month, those on low incomes are priced out and unable to benefit from lower running costs.

“By bringing leasing costs down to as low as £77 a month, we can ensure that EVs are accessible and reduce bills for all.”

Edmonds added: “Right now, too many drivers are looking at the transition from the outside in.

“If we want EV adoption to scale, we need to make it affordable, simple and predictable – especially for those without driveways or access to upfront capital.

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“That means getting the basics right: fair taxation, lower public charging costs, and targeted support that reaches the majority of households.

“EVA England is calling on Government to delay the introduction of eVED until at least 2030, redesign the scheme so drivers pay based on actual mileage rather than estimates, and ensure it is introduced alongside meaningful action on charging costs and affordability.”

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