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EV Demand Builds as UK Sets 2028 Per‑Mile Levy and Australia Weighs Network‑Led Charger Rollout

Higher fuel costs and falling EV prices are pulling more buyers toward electric.

Overview

  • Autotrader and Zapmap data released Thursday show EVs took 29% of new‑car enquiries and delivered a record £960 in annual fuel savings, with the DfT now counting 120,338 public charging plugs.
  • The UK’s Electric Vehicle Excise Duty will charge 3p per mile for fully electric cars and 1.5p for plug‑in hybrids from April 2028, which would be about £240 a year for 8,000 miles.
  • Zenith’s EV driver survey, published Friday, found four in ten owners would consider switching back to petrol or diesel if costs rise and nearly three‑quarters worry about the new per‑mile charge.
  • Used EVs are nearing price parity as lease returns swell in 2026, with average transactions around $34,653 and many low‑mileage 2022–2023 models still under warranty returning to dealer lots.
  • Australia has proposed letting electricity networks identify and, if needed, run charger sites with a small household bill impact estimated at A$0.79–A$1.44 a year and no charges expected before 2029.