Do electric cars pay the Congestion Charge?

Electric car drivers now have to pay the Congestion Charge. This means electric vehicle (EV) drivers face additional running costs each time they take their car into the UK capital.

Enforced by automatic number-plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, the Congestion Charge zone covers the City of London area inside the London Inner Ring Road, along with the West End district. 

The London ULEZ is in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Christmas Day is the only day when the ULEZ is not enforced.

The London ULEZ is a template that many other cities follow and there are already Clean Air Zones (CAZs) in operation in Bath and Birmingham.

This guide will tell you what you need to know about the London Congestion Charge and ULEZ when you navigate the capital’s streets in an electric car.

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Congestion Charge: do EVs need to pay?

As of 2nd January 2026, electric car drivers need to pay the London Congestion Charge for the first time.

All zero emission vehicles - including EVs - were previously exempt from the Congestion Charge via the Cleaner Vehicle Discount. Now, due to increasing congestion as EV sales increase, the exemption has been removed.

The only discount electric cars are now eligible for is a 25% reduction in the charge if registered for Auto Pay, bringing the daily fee down to £13.50.

The standard daily cost for the London Congestion Charge is now £18, up from the previous £15. The zone operates from 07:00 to 22:00 every day, with the charging clock reset at midnight. The Congestion Charge does not apply on Christmas Day. 

You must pay the daily Congestion Charge by midnight on the third charging day that follows it. However, paying after travelling increases the daily cost to £21.

If you don't pay by this point, you will receive a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of £160. This has to be paid within 28 days, but if you pay within 14 days, the fine drops to £80. If the penalty isn’t paid within 28 days, a £240 Charge Certificate is issued.

What is the Cleaner Vehicle Discount and how do I apply?

Electric cars and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles were previously exempt from the London Congestion Charge under the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, but that all changed at the start of 2026.

Transport for London (TfL) states that the move is to "ensure that the Congestion Charge remains effective at managing traffic and congestion within Central London".

A new tiered system of discounts means:

• Electric car drivers receive a 25% discount on the daily charge if registered on Auto Pay.
• Electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles receive a 50% discount on the daily charge if registered on Auto Pay.

You also no longer have to supply evidence or documentation to prove that your car is eligible for the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, according to TfL. If your electric vehicle is registered for Auto Pay, the new discount is applied automatically.

• 2035 ban –
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Aside from zero-emission vehicles, there are other Congestion Charge discounts. Motorcycles don’t have to pay the charge, along with disabled Blue Badge holders. Residents can also get a discount, but this scheme is currently closed to new applicants. 

What is the Cleaner Vehicle Discount and how do I apply?

Electric cars and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles were previously exempt from the London Congestion Charge under the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, but that all changed at the start of 2026.

Transport for London (TfL) states that the move is to "ensure that the Congestion Charge remains effective at managing traffic and congestion within Central London".

A new tiered system of discounts means:

• Electric car drivers receive a 25% discount on the daily charge if registered on Auto Pay.
• Electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles receive a 50% discount on the daily charge if registered on Auto Pay.

You also no longer have to supply evidence or documentation to prove that your car is eligible for the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, according to TfL. If your electric vehicle is registered for Auto Pay, the new discount is applied automatically.

• 2035 ban –
• Electric car charging –
• Climate activists let down tyres on ‘gas guzzler’ SUVs

Aside from zero-emission vehicles, there are other Congestion Charge discounts. Motorcycles don’t have to pay the charge, along with disabled Blue Badge holders. Residents can also get a discount, but this scheme is currently closed to new applicants. 

What is the Cleaner Vehicle Discount and how do I apply?

Electric cars and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles were previously exempt from the London Congestion Charge under the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, but that all changed at the start of 2026.

Transport for London (TfL) states that the move is to "ensure that the Congestion Charge remains effective at managing traffic and congestion within Central London".

A new tiered system of discounts means:

• Electric car drivers receive a 25% discount on the daily charge if registered on Auto Pay.
• Electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles receive a 50% discount on the daily charge if registered on Auto Pay.

You also no longer have to supply evidence or documentation to prove that your car is eligible for the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, according to TfL. If your electric vehicle is registered for Auto Pay, the new discount is applied automatically.

• 2035 ban –
• Electric car charging –
• Climate activists let down tyres on ‘gas guzzler’ SUVs

Aside from zero-emission vehicles, there are other Congestion Charge discounts. Motorcycles don’t have to pay the charge, along with disabled Blue Badge holders. Residents can also get a discount, but this scheme is currently closed to new applicants. 

What is the Cleaner Vehicle Discount and how do I apply?

Electric cars and hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles were previously exempt from the London Congestion Charge under the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, but that all changed at the start of 2026.

Transport for London (TfL) states that the move is to "ensure that the Congestion Charge remains effective at managing traffic and congestion within Central London".

A new tiered system of discounts means:

• Electric car drivers receive a 25% discount on the daily charge if registered on Auto Pay.
• Electric vans, HGVs and quadricycles receive a 50% discount on the daily charge if registered on Auto Pay.

You also no longer have to supply evidence or documentation to prove that your car is eligible for the Cleaner Vehicle Discount, according to TfL. If your electric vehicle is registered for Auto Pay, the new discount is applied automatically.

• 2035 ban –
• Electric car charging –
• Climate activists let down tyres on ‘gas guzzler’ SUVs

Aside from zero-emission vehicles, there are other Congestion Charge discounts. Motorcycles don’t have to pay the charge, along with disabled Blue Badge holders. Residents can also get a discount, but this scheme is currently closed to new applicants. 

The London ULEZ and electric cars

Electric cars are still exempt from the London ULEZ, saving £12.50 a day despite the new Congestion Charge rules.

First introduced on 8 April 2019, the London ULEZ expanded on 25 October 2021 to an area 18 times the size of the original zone. It now covers every borough inside the A406 North Circular Road and the A205 South Circular Road. However, the Circular Roads themselves are not included in the new zone.

Vehicles must meet a minimum emissions standard to enter the ULEZ and avoid paying a charge. This is Euro 4 for petrol vehicles, and later Euro 6 standards for diesels. Check if you need to pay the ULEZ charge here.

If your vehicle doesn’t meet these standards and you don’t pay the ULEZ charge when you should, a penalty of £160 will apply. This is reduced to £80 if paid within 14 days. 

The daily £12.50 charging period runs from midnight to midnight. If you drive within the designated ULEZ area across two calendar days, before and after midnight for example, you will need to pay two charges.

Read the RAC’s comprehensive guide to the London Ultra Low Emission Zone.

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Clean Air Zones in the UK and abroad

A Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is an area within a town or city that limits the traffic coming into it, to improve air quality. 

These zones are being introduced in cities across the UK, and although not every CAZ levies a charge on private cars, the Birmingham CAZ penalises cars that do not meet certain emissions standards. Electric cars are exempt from charges.

Read all you need to know about the Birmingham Clean Air Zone in our guide here.

Bath introduced a Clean Air Zone in March 2021, and although it doesn’t charge private cars and motorcycles, those driving taxis, vans and trucks are affected. Find out more about the Bath CAZ in our comprehensive guide.

CAZs are set to become a fixture in many cities across the UK – as soon as 2022 – including Bristol, Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle. Portsmouth introduced one even earlier in November 2021.

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European cities are also introducing Clean Air Zones. France operates the Crit’Air scheme, which requires cars to display a ‘clean air’ windscreen sticker to identify emission levels of vehicles. This may restrict access to cities such as Grenoble, Paris, and Strasbourg where the scheme is in place. 

In summary, driving an electric car could save you money, but less so than it used to. And although EVs are no longer exempt from the capital’s Congestion Charge, buying one will help you future-proof your motoring against additional costs and restrictions, such as city Clean Air Zones. 

The RAC is leading the way when it comes to supporting drivers in the switch to electric vehicles.

An increasing number of our patrol vans have built-in emergency mobile charging systems that can give an out-of-charge electric car enough power to be driven a short distance home or to a working charge point. Our All-Wheels-Up recovery system also allows our patrols to rescue electric cars safely without the need for a flatbed.

Find out more about the RAC’s electric car breakdown cover.