London Mayor Sadiq Khan will oversee the expansion of the capital’s Ultra Low Emission Zone on August 29 as he aims to slash pollution. Unlike some Low Emission Zones, petrol and diesel vehicles will still be able to drive in London, but they will have to pay a daily charge.
If a non-compliant vehicle drives through the ULEZ, they will be required to pay £12.50 per day, with the scheme in operation every day, with the exception of Christmas.
People driving petrol cars which are of Euro 4 standard – those registered after 2006 – will escape any charges.
Diesel drivers will need to have their cars registered more recently, with Euro 6 standards being allowed, with this generally being vehicles after 2016.
The ULEZ was first introduced in 2019 and has gradually expanded from its initial area of central London, with all boroughs now set to be included.
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Electric vehicles and other zero emission vehicles are exempt from the charging area, with the Government promoting the use of EVs before the 2030 sales ban on petrol and diesel vehicles.
Toby Kernon, from Wagonex, spoke to Express.co.uk about the impact of the ULEZ expansion and what drivers are looking for to get around the daily fees.
He said: “We’re seeing the expansion of the ULEZ zone and with this more people are thinking about selling their non-ULEZ compliant cars.
“Subscription can allow drivers the benefits of having a car in the city without the worry of being charged, with the added bonus of not being tied into a long-term commitment.”
Thousands of motorists have already ditched their older, polluting vehicles thanks to Transport for London’s scrappage scheme.
The £110million scheme allowed drivers to scrap their older cars for a grant of up to £2,000 or cash and annual adult-rate bus and tram passes.
Car subscriptions are similar to leasing, but the deposit is refundable and drivers do not have to commit for longer than they want to.
Many people choose to change the cars they drive every few months as they want to get a feel for a certain brand, fuel type or driving style.
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Mr Kernon added: “Our research shows that the ability to try an EV is a major driver to try subscription – with one in 10 drivers admitting this is a motive for considering subscription, and more than half would choose an EV as their first choice for a car on subscription.
“Drivers looking to get an electric or hybrid car off the back of the ULEZ expansion could also be waiting up to twelve months, but with subscription you can be behind the wheel of an EV in weeks.”
People have been dealing with long waiting periods since the coronavirus pandemic started in 2020, with delays only recently starting to subsist.
New data suggests that average motorists will have to wait five months – or 21 weeks – to get behind the wheel of a new zero emission vehicle.
Waiting times have dropped by 20 percent from 24 weeks in February, with supply chain issues finally easing and semiconductors becoming more readily available.
Despite this, experts fear that the price is still one of the largest stumbling blocks of getting an electric car, with much cheaper petrol and diesel alternatives available.
However, with manufacturers embracing the future of electric cars, drivers will see forecourt prices drop and quantities rise.
With the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles, coupled with the UK-wide and European rollout of Low Emission Zones, electric cars will be the best option for many drivers.
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