Electric vehicle adoption challenges road infrastructure funding

The global shift toward electric vehicles (EVs) is creating new challenges for road infrastructure funding, which has traditionally relied on fuel taxes. In Norway, where EVs account for over 90% of new personal car sales, companies like Q-Free are piloting distance-based road user charging solutions. These systems aim to provide a fair, scalable, and privacy-focused method for charging vehicle owners based on miles driven without requiring smartphone interaction or vehicle connections.

In the United Kingdom, businesses face increasing complexity regarding fleet electrification. From April 2028, electric cars will be subject to a new mileage-based Electric Vehicle Excise Duty, initially set at 3p per mile for battery-electric and hydrogen cars and 1.5p for plug-in hybrids. Industry experts suggest that for large-scale electrification to succeed, policymakers must provide greater long-term visibility and operational simplicity to assist businesses with investment planning and administration.