Electric vehicle drivers across the UK are being alerted to a significant but often overlooked factor affecting their car's performance: the so-called 'tyre pressure tax'. This issue relates directly to how under-inflated tyres can drastically reduce battery range and increase energy consumption.
The Hidden Cost of Under-Inflated Tyres
Zenith, the UK's leading independent fleet management and vehicle leasing specialist, has highlighted that 'rolling resistance' poses a major problem for EV efficiency. Andy Wolff, Managing Director, Corporate at Zenith, emphasised the importance of maintaining proper tyre pressure to avoid this hidden cost.
"Tyres play a huge and often overlooked role in battery range due to 'rolling resistance'," Wolff explained. "When a tyre rolls, it naturally loses a small amount of energy, which can significantly increase when tyres are under-inflated."
How Rolling Resistance Affects Your EV
This energy loss forces the battery to use more power to move the vehicle, reducing overall range – similar to how a petrol car burns more fuel on soft tyres. To maximise mileage, drivers need to minimise this resistance.
"Checking your tyre pressure monthly and keeping it at the manufacturer's recommended level can reduce strain on the vehicle and help protect the battery's longevity too," Wolff advised.
VAT Ruling on Public Charging
This warning comes alongside a landmark tribunal decision that could benefit EV drivers using public charging networks. The tribunal declared that EV drivers should be eligible for a reduced five per cent VAT rate on public charging, potentially slashing running costs for those unable to charge at home.
Oliver Jarratt, a Deloitte legal representative, noted on LinkedIn: "We noticed that existing VAT law already says that the provision of less than 1,000 kWh per month of electricity to a person at any particular premises counts as 'domestic' – always – so we believed the five per cent rate already should apply to public EV charging, provided it was under that limit."
Implications for Charging Prices
The first-tier tribunal ruled that the five per cent rate indeed applies to public EV charging in those circumstances. Daniel Barlow, a tax partner at Deloitte, told Auto Express: "The judgement is important, but I don't think it will have an immediate effect on public charging prices."
Barlow added: "It's unlikely that Charge My Street or any other CPO will factor the five per cent rate of VAT into their pricing until the ultimate outcome of the case is known."
This combination of practical maintenance advice and regulatory developments highlights the evolving landscape for electric vehicle owners, where both tyre care and charging costs play crucial roles in overall vehicle economics.
