The government deserves credit for listening to industry on the practicalities of Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED).
Several of the decisions in its consultation response reflect points raised by the IMI, including avoiding mandatory telematics, using existing VED and DVLA systems, linking mileage validation to the MOT, and recognising the need for workable arrangements for fleets, leasing businesses and vehicle lifecycle events.
These are sensible changes. But they do not answer the bigger question.
The issue is not only whether motorists see eVED as fair. It is whether the system can be delivered fairly in the real world.
The government's model relies heavily on mileage validation through MOT Centres. On paper, that sounds straightforward. In practice, today's vehicles are increasingly electric, connected and software-driven products, meaning mileage verification may not always be as straightforward as reading a dashboard display. Discrepancies can arise. Data may be held in more than one place. Suspected tampering, missing readings or disputed mileage could require diagnostic capability that not every MOT garage currently has.
A significant workforce challenge
The automotive sector is already under pressure to develop the skills needed for an increasingly electric, connected and software-driven vehicle parc. Technicians are being asked to understand high-voltage systems, advanced diagnostics and rapidly changing manufacturer technology. If eVED adds another layer of responsibility, then government must recognise that delivery depends on people, not just policy design. There is also the argument that this extra requirement may necessitate an increase in the price of an MOT to account for the additional labour, training and equipment required.
As the IMI has consistently argued, vehicle regulation cannot succeed through legislative design alone. Whether the issue is electrification, advanced driver assistance systems or future connected vehicle technologies, policy outcomes ultimately depend on having a competent workforce capable of delivering them safely and consistently in the real world.
This is where the current response risks missing the point. A mileage-based tax cannot simply assume that every garage has the tools, training and confidence to investigate EV mileage anomalies. Reading an odometer is one task. Resolving a complex mileage dispute on an electric vehicle is another.
Why competence matters
That is why the IMI is calling for clear diagnostic escalation routes, competence-based accreditation, standards aligned with IMI TechSafe recognition, and meaningful support for garages on equipment and training. Without this, the burden could fall unevenly on MOT businesses, motorists and the DVLA. That would damage confidence not only in eVED, but in the wider EV transition.
More broadly, eVED demonstrates a challenge that will become increasingly common as vehicles become electric, connected and software-driven. Effective regulation depends on more than legislation and technology. It requires a workforce with the competence, tools and confidence to deliver policy objectives consistently in the real world, supported by recognised competence frameworks such as IMI TechSafe.
Without that capability, even well-intentioned reforms risk creating uncertainty for motorists, unnecessary burdens for businesses and reduced confidence in the wider transition to electric mobility. At a time when consumer confidence remains critical to EV adoption, trust in the systems and people supporting electric vehicles matters just as much as trust in the technology itself.
The government is right to consider how motoring taxation evolves as fuel duty revenues decline. But taxation cannot be separated from readiness. If the UK wants electric motoring to succeed, it must first invest in the skilled workforce needed to keep EVs safe, roadworthy and trusted.
The IMI will continue to work constructively with government. But our message is clear: before introducing new costs and compliance requirements for EV owners, the priority should be ensuring the UK has the workforce capability to support them. Modern vehicles require modern, verified skills, and sustainable policy depends on having those skills in place first.
View our policy page to stay up-to-date with our policy work.
