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The Chancellor's Autumn Budget sends an encouraging signal: the UK is still committed to accelerating the switch to electric vehicles. New funding for the Electric Car Grant, investment in the public charging network, and steps to make charger installation easier will all help more drivers take their first journey into electric. These are positive moves that should be welcomed.

A £1.3 billion extension to the Electric Car Grant -- cutting the upfront price of a new EV by up to £3,750 -- will make a meaningful difference for many households weighing up their next purchase. Pair that with an additional £200 million to expand public charging nationwide, and the direction of travel is clear: the Government wants more people in EVs, and it wants a charging network ready to support them.

For drivers, confidence is everything. The more chargers they see in their communities, supermarkets and workplaces, the more realistic an EV becomes. And the easier it is to plug in, the faster the UK will move toward its climate commitments and modern mobility goals.

But support for adoption and support for running costs must go hand in hand.

From 2028, EV drivers will begin paying 3p per mile in road charges -- a change that acknowledges the need for long-term reform of motoring taxation. No one disputes that the system must evolve as more drivers move away from petrol and diesel. But reform must be designed carefully.

A pay-per-mile system only works if EVs remain cheaper and more predictable to run than combustion vehicles. Introduced too bluntly or without parallel reforms, it risks unsettling drivers who are on the fence about switching. And for those who rely solely on public charging -- often people in flats, terraced homes or rented accommodation -- fairness becomes even more important. These drivers already pay 20% VAT on electricity at public chargers, compared with just 5% at home.

If road pricing becomes another cost layered onto people who can't charge at home, we risk embedding inequality into the EV transition.

If the Government wants a fair system, it should use this Budget moment to reduce VAT on public charging to match the 5% rate paid for home electricity. This would instantly correct a clear imbalance and support the very drivers the transition needs most -- urban families, flat-sharers, and people without driveways.

Lowering VAT would be one of the quickest, cleanest ways to make EV running costs fair and give the pay-per-mile scheme a stronger foundation.

What EV drivers should think about Budget