From 25 December 2025 EVs will have to pay the full amount to drive in the capital's Congestion Charge Zone, Transport for London has confirmed this week.
Owners of zero-emission models currently benefit from only having to pay £10 for an annual exemption from the charging zone, but TfL has confirmed they will be stung with the standard rate - a £15 daily charge - from the end of next year.
One expert dubbed the decision 'puzzling' while others suggest the London Mayor Sadiq Khan is attempting to make up for the shortfall in revenue generated by the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
A spokesperson for Transport for London said: 'The Congestion Charge’s Cleaner Vehicle Discount was part of our phased scheme to tackle London’s toxic air.
'Ending the Cleaner Vehicle Discount from 25 December 2025 will maintain the effectiveness of the Congestion Charge, which is in place to manage traffic and congestion in the heart of London.'
The termination of EV discounts could sting around 100,000 drivers living in the capital, it has been estimated.
In 2022, TfL said there were 69,172 'plug-in' vehicles (including plug-in hybrids) registered in London the year previous, though given the uptake of fully-electric cars since, the total is likely close to - if not in excess of - six figures.
TfL has noted a steep rise in vehicles registered for the CVD discount from just over 20,000 at the start of 2019 to over 112,000 today.
TfL expects the numbers will continue to increase significantly, in which case would undermine the benefits of the Congestion Charge.
However, industry response has questioned the logic behind the decision, with the AA saying that it 'may be a Christmas present for the Mayor' but 'it's a turkey bone in the throat for EV owners who heeded his call to switch to green vehicles and improve air quality in the capital'.
Jack Cousens, head of roads policy at the motoring group, said: 'Cabbies and businesses who have made the switch to electric will now face an extra financial hurdle, that ultimately the consumer will pay.
'Similarly, car reliant households will now pay more.
'The key question is: has this decision come about because he hasn’t made as much money as he thought from the ULEZ expansion?'
While other cities have a well-organised park and ride system to make leaving a car on the outskirts an easy option, this won't isn't the case in London: 'For its size, the number of park and ride spaces in London is pitiful', Cousens adds.
Oliver Lord from campaign group Clean Cities told the BBC that the change is 'puzzling'.
He added: 'By offering incentives to businesses for electric vehicles, we not only promote greener transport but we also draw a line against the most polluting freight vehicles.'