New car tax system in England could see drivers charged by vehicle weight

A new car tax system in England could see drivers charged by weight instead of emissions. A brand-new study in the east of England have branded the current system of vehicle excise duty - or VED - as "deeply flawed".

The findings detailed in their forthcoming book "Critical Mass: The One Thing You Need to Know About Green Cars," challenge the existing Vehicle Excise Duty (VED) system. A spokesperson explained: “We are committed to supporting our automotive sector as we transition to electric vehicles in order to meet our legally binding climate targets."

The book will be launched at Keble College, Oxford, on November 25 and Imperial College, London, on December 2. Former Deputy Prime Minister Michael Heseltinewelcomed the contribution to the “most important challenge of our time".

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Under the proposed system, car owners could save £100 annually by either driving 1,000 fewer miles or choosing a vehicle that's 150kg lighter. Felix Leach, co-author of the report stated: "Specific tax rates are proposed and compared to existing taxes to illustrate winners and losers - winners being small city cars and loser including high-mileage heavy cars and SUVs.”

Leach is an Associate Professor of Engineering Science, and Fellow and Tutor in Engineering Science at Keble. Felix is a Chartered Engineer (MIMechE), a Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, and a Member of the Society of Automotive Engineers.

His research interests are in thermal propulsion systems and air quality. Nick Molden, the other co-author argued that a car's weight accounts for approximately three-quarters of its environmental impact, making it a strong metric for measuring environmental damage.

Mr Molden went on and explained: "Most people want to do the right thing environmentally when they are buying a car, but the information and choices are now too complex for any normal consumer to understand fully.”