Recent headlines about the Government's proposed pay-per-mile tax for electric vehicles have prompted many businesses to ask the same question:

Should we rethink our EV plans?

The short answer is not necessarily.

The proposed Electric Vehicle Excise Duty (eVED), due to be introduced from April 2028, would see electric vehicle drivers pay around 3p per mile, with plug-in hybrid vehicles paying around 1.5p per mile. The Government recently confirmed it intends to proceed with the scheme, while simplifying how mileage will be recorded.

But while the headlines focus on taxation, many businesses risk overlooking a far more important question.

Are you making infrastructure decisions based on today's headlines, or your business's needs over the next ten to twenty years?

Tax policy changes. Infrastructure stays.

Governments change policy.

Funding schemes open and close.

Tax rules evolve.

Electrical infrastructure doesn't.

When businesses invest in workplace EV charging, they're rarely making a three-year decision. They're investing in infrastructure that will support vehicles, employees and operations for many years to come.

That's why decisions shouldn't be based solely on one tax announcement.

Why businesses chose EVs in the first place

For most organisations, moving towards electric vehicles has never been about avoiding tax.

The reasons are usually much broader:

• Lower operating costs.
• Reduced maintenance compared with traditional vehicles.
• Supporting sustainability objectives.
• Preparing for fleet electrification.
• Providing workplace charging for employees and visitors.
• Meeting customer and procurement expectations.

Those drivers haven't disappeared because of one policy announcement.

The bigger question is whether your site is ready

One of the biggest misconceptions is that installing EV chargers is simply about choosing the right charger.

In reality, successful projects often begin much earlier.

Businesses should be asking:

• Does our electrical supply have enough capacity?
• Could future fleet growth require additional infrastructure?
• Would battery storage improve resilience?
• Could solar generation help offset charging costs?
• If we're investing now, are we planning for where the business will be in five or ten years?

These questions often have a much greater financial impact than future vehicle taxation.

Avoid making long-term decisions based on short-term headlines

Whenever major policy announcements are made, it's understandable that some businesses pause investment.

Sometimes that's the right decision.

Often it simply delays planning that will still need to happen later.

Rather than asking,

"Will there be a new tax?"

a more useful question is,

"Will our business still need charging infrastructure in five years?"

For many organisations, the answer is yes.

"Tax policy will continue to evolve as more vehicles become electric, but infrastructure planning has always been about the bigger picture. Businesses benefit most when they consider how EV charging, solar generation and battery storage work together, rather than reacting to individual headlines."

— Duncan Booth, Managing Director, ORKA Solutions

Conclusion

The proposed pay-per-mile tax is another reminder that the electric vehicle landscape continues to evolve.

But businesses making investment decisions today should focus on building infrastructure that supports their long-term operations, rather than reacting to short-term policy changes.

At ORKA, we help organisations look beyond the latest headline and plan charging infrastructure that's designed around how their business will operate in the years ahead.