Wednesday 7th January 2026
Last updated: 7th January 2026
Electric vehicles (EVs) have played a key role in supporting cleaner air and lower emissions in London. However, as traffic volumes continue to rise, Transport for London (TfL) has introduced changes that directly affect electric vehicle drivers and fleets operating in central London.
Most notably, electric vehicles are no longer fully exempt from the London Congestion Charge. For fleets and drivers, this marks a significant policy shift that may impact operating costs, journey planning and wider fleet strategy.
Here’s what’s changed, and what it means in practice.
Electric vehicles are no longer exempt from paying the Congestion Charge when entering the central London zone.
The previous Cleaner Vehicle Discount, which provided a 100% discount for EVs, has now ended. As a result, all electric vehicles are now subject to the Congestion Charge, although discounted rates are available when Auto Pay is set up.
If Auto Pay is not enabled:
If Auto Pay is enabled:
Without Auto Pay in place, EVs automatically incur the full daily charge, making registration essential for regular users of the congestion zone.
According to TfL, the removal of the EV exemption is primarily aimed at managing congestion rather than discouraging electric vehicle adoption.
As the number of EVs on London’s roads continues to grow, TfL estimates that maintaining a full exemption could have led to thousands of additional vehicles entering central London each day. This would increase congestion and negatively impact journey times and network reliability.
The policy shift reflects a move away from incentivising cleaner vehicles through congestion charging, and towards balancing emissions goals with congestion reduction.
For fleet operators with vehicles entering central London, the changes introduce new cost and operational considerations.
Fleet managers should ensure that:
This helps minimise daily charges while reducing administrative burden and the risk of penalty charges. These costs should now be factored into total cost of ownership (TCO) calculations, budgeting forecasts and client pricing where relevant.
Some fleets may want to:
Small operational changes can help limit exposure to congestion charges over time.
Drivers using electric company vehicles should be aware that:
There is no change to ULEZ rules for electric vehicles.
For fleets and drivers, EVs continue to offer a clear compliance advantage over petrol and diesel vehicles when it comes to air quality regulations.
Despite the change to the Congestion Charge, EVs continue to deliver strong benefits for fleets and drivers, including:
However, the update reinforces the importance of regularly reviewing fleet strategy as transport policies continue to evolve.
London’s transport policies are continuing to change as the city balances congestion, air quality and infrastructure demand. For fleets operating electric vehicles, staying informed is key to managing costs and maintaining compliance.
Now is a good time to:
By planning ahead and keeping up to date with policy changes, fleet managers and drivers can continue to get the most from electric vehicles — even as London’s charging landscape evolves.
