Leading entrepreneur Jarrad Morris, founder and CEO of FleetEV, is urging chancellor Rachel Reeves to reconsider her position on the EV pay-per-mile tax for drivers in the November budget.
Ahead of the budget on the 26 November, there have been persistent rumours that the Chancellor intends to charge EV drivers 3p per mile, on top of other road taxes, from 2028.
As an expert in the EV industry, Jarrad Morris is ideally placed to comment on the proposals set out by the chancellor. With hands-on experience helping drivers transition to electric vehicles he offers valuable insight into how proposals could affect costs, adoption, and the UK’s shift toward net-zero transport.
Jarrad Morris said, “Fleets across the UK urgently need clarity. Introducing a pay-per-mile charge for electric vehicles now would cause uncertainty at the very moment organisations are accelerating their transition to zero-emission transport.
“Most fleets are still in the early stages of electrification, and their Total Cost of Ownership models were built around the incentives currently in place. Changing the rules mid-transition risks unravelling carefully constructed business cases, particularly for public services already operating under intense financial pressure.
“If the Chancellor is determined to explore road pricing, it must be done fairly and in a way that protects early adopters. One option could be to introduce any pay-per-mile system only to new EV registrations from 2027. This would give fleets, employers and public bodies the predictability they need, while ensuring essential mileage, such as that driven by NHS staff, teachers, council workers and emergency services, is not penalised.
“Early adopters took a risk based on the Government’s own signals; they should not now be disadvantaged for leading the transition.
“Above all, the UK must demonstrate policy consistency if it wants to remain a global leader in green mobility. Stable, credible policy attracts investment, accelerates innovation and keeps the cost of clean transport down for everyone. Sudden changes risk pushing fleets back toward older, more polluting vehicles and sending the wrong message to international investors at a critical moment for the UK’s EV industry.”
