There has been a lot of uncertainty about road tax for people with an electric car for a long time, which has led to some panic. Especially when numerous car websites came out with messages that road tax after 2024 would be based solely on the weight of the car and that EV drivers would pay up to three times as much as people with a car with a combustion engine. Now that it has been announced what the road tax will be, it turns out that it is not that bad.
Road tax for electric cars: benefits for EV drivers
The Dutch government wants to stimulate electric driving. Not so strange, because CO2 emissions must be reduced to stay within environmental policy and burning fossil fuels to get from A to B, that does not fit in with that of course. That is why the government has granted numerous advantages to the electric car, including subsidies and tax benefits.
It was already known that road tax would be 0 for EV drivers in 2024, but what would happen after that was unclear. This led to sensational articles that owners of cars with combustion engines enjoyed. However, the pleasant aftertaste is for the EV driver, because the Dutch government recently announced that the benefits will be extended and that road tax will remain significantly lower for longer.
This is the outcome: this is how much road tax you will soon pay for your electric car
But what exactly is it? To make it clear for you, we have listed the government's decisions:
- In 2025 you will receive a 100% discount on road tax. As an EV driver you will therefore pay nothing in 2025.
- In 2026 you will pay 60% of the road tax.
- In 2027 you will pay 70% of the road tax.
- In 2030 you will pay 75% of the road tax.
- In 2031, EV drivers will also pay 100% of the road tax.
There are a few catches to this. For example, we know from experience that the Dutch government can extend the period of exemptions and discounts. It is also unclear what the basic rate is. It is nice that a discount is given, but what is the normal price? Is a ratio between weight and emissions considered, or is the discount calculated from the petrol rate?
That will be known soon, because the plans above are part of the Spring Memorandum and still have to be assessed by parliament. Only then will it become clear what the basic rate is. In any case, it is clear that the horror stories about road tax for electric cars will not become reality, certainly not in the coming years.
A look into the future: what are the expectations?
It has been said for some time that the system needs to change, because electric cars are the heaviest cars on Dutch roads, while they do not pay road tax. Although this is undeniably true, something higher on the agenda in The Hague needs to be put against this. Stimulating electric driving makes a big difference to CO2 emissions in the Netherlands and ensures that the dependency on fossil fuels is significantly reduced.
Still, more money will have to come into the Dutch government's pots, certainly with the heavier tax on the Dutch road surface. Where that money should come from, we leave that to parliament. What is clear in any case, is that people with an electric car will pay considerably less road tax in the coming years than people who drive around with a combustion engine.
