A generational and gender divide has been revealed among drivers faced with UK Government plans to charge electric vehicle (EV) drivers extra to help replace lost fuel duty as petrol and diesel sales fall.
A national survey of 1,000 UK drivers, commissioned by EV chargepoint manufacturer CTEK and conducted by research firm Find Out Now, found that many younger drivers favour congested-road tolls, while older generations prefer the Government’s announced plan for pay-per-mile charges from 2028, known as Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED).
Four tax options tested in CTEK survey
Drivers were asked to choose their preferred option among four tax structures:
- Pay per mile driven
- Increase existing Vehicle Excise Duty (road tax)
- Increase tax on electricity used for charging
- Road tolls in busy or congested areas
Generational differences on EV taxation
Younger drivers aged 18 to 39 were most likely to opt for road tolls, while older drivers aged 55 and above preferred pay-per-mile over the other choices.
Of those expressing an opinion, 32% of drivers aged 18 to 29 and 36% of those aged 30 to 39 selected road tolls in busy or congested areas. In contrast, only 20% of drivers aged 18 to 29 and 18% of those aged 30 to 39 favored pay-per-mile.
Older generations chose pay-per-mile in substantially larger numbers: 42% of those aged 55 to 64, 41% of drivers aged 65 to 74, and 47% of drivers aged 75 or older. Road tolls were less popular among those aged 55–64 (16%), 65–74 (19%), and 75-plus (10%).
Stefan Gabrielsson, CTEK Business Owner, said:
“These revealing results show younger drivers do not favour what the UK Government intends to do, which is raise around £1.2 billion in its first year by charging per mile driven in fully electric and plug-in hybrid cars.
“Younger drivers include those embarking on careers and beginning to raise their own families. They probably fear the extra costs of pay-per-mile when there will be so many other demands on their household budgets and a lot of reasons to be driving more and more miles per year.
“Older drivers, in contrast, perhaps favour the certainty of pay-per-mile and expect to be driving fewer miles as they head into retirement from work and enjoy a more leisurely way of living.”
Gender divide and market impact
The proposed eVED plans also highlighted a clear gender divide in CTEK’s research. Of those with an opinion, 36% of male drivers preferred pay-per-mile compared to 26% of female drivers. Tolls on busy and congested roads were favored by 31% of female drivers, but only 17% of male drivers.
Gabrielsson added:
“The UK Office for Budget Responsibility estimates that around 120,000 fewer EVs will be sold due to eVED and other budget measures. The Government must do all it can to encourage EV switching in other ways, including by making public charging clearly cheaper than fossil fuels.”
