eVED could see mileage tampering surge, warns FleetCheck
A new pay-per-mile road tax for electric vehicles could result in a surge of mileage tampering.
The government has announced it plans to Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED) in 2028, which would impose a 3p per mile tariff on electric vehicles and a 1.5p per mile tariff on plug-in hybrids.
However, FleetCheck believes the new tax could add hundreds of pounds to annual bills and lead to widespread mileage tampering.
CEO Peter Golding said: “If you’re covering 20,000 miles a year in an EV, your eVED bill will be £600. For a few people, the ease with which that amount can be reduced will be difficult to resist.
“Despite modern digital odometers, clocking remains common and simple. Some estimates show about one in seven cars are affected and, while the equipment needed varies from model to model, it can often be bought cheaply or a no-questions-asked ‘mileage adjustment’ company found through a search online. Making a change can be as simple as plugging into the onboard diagnostics port and altering a number. It takes moments.”
He added: “This is an issue that has very real potential to increase the number of clocked vehicles on the used market. The current impetus for clocking comes from two sources, increasing the value of the vehicle or reducing lease mileage, but eVED has the potential to outstrip both of these.”
