Starting late next year, drivers of zero-emissions vehicles in London will lose their congestion charge discount and will have to pay the regular fee.
Transport for London (TfL) announced that from December 25, 2025, the current £10 annual exemption will end, and drivers will need to pay the standard £15 daily charge.
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This decision has been met with criticism from environmental groups and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB), though it has the support of the Green Party.
TfL stated that the discount was always part of a gradual plan to address London's severe air pollution. They explained that removing the discount "will maintain the effectiveness of the congestion charge, which is in place to manage traffic and congestion in the heart of London".
Currently, 112,318 cars and vans benefit from the discount, according to TfL data, including 15,782 private hire vehicles.
Oliver Lord from the campaign group Clean Cities called the decision "puzzling."
He argued, "By offering incentives to businesses for electric vehicles, we not only promote greener transport but we also draw a line against the most polluting freight vehicles."
Alex Pierce from the electric car company GoinGreen said, "Environmentally and economically, this makes no sense."
He added that customers choose electric cars "because they are cheaper and hassle-free when you want to go into central London...will go back to buying diesel or hybrid which is worse for the environment".
The FSB argued that the discount should continue to support business owners who have already invested in electric vehicles and infrastructure.
A TfL spokesperson highlighted "More than 52,000 grants have been approved for Londoners, businesses and charities to switch to cleaner vehicles, with 70,000 fewer non-compliant vehicles now seen driving on London's roads."
City Hall Conservatives declined to comment on the issue.
The Green Party maintained that the discounts "were always going to be time-limited".
Caroline Russell AM said: "If every Londoner drives an electric car we won't tackle congestion, air pollution or the climate crisis.
"The best solution to any concerns about unfairness in changes like this is to move to smart, fair road user charging."
