Calculate the Ulez cost or invest in a different vehicle.

Home > Industry Analysis > Content

【Summary】Londoners are considering selling their cars to avoid paying the expanded Ulez scheme charges. One in five Londoners plan to sell their cars, according to Motorway. A calculator by The Telegraph helps drivers determine if it's worth selling their car and buying a new one to avoid emissions penalties.

FutureCar Staff Sep 03, 2023 9:41 AM PT

Calculate the Ulez cost or invest in a different vehicle.

Sadiq Khan's Ulez scheme has recently been expanded beyond inner London and now covers the entire area within the boundaries of the M25.

Under this scheme, cars that do not meet the required emissions standards will be charged a fee of £12.50 for each day they are driven within the designated zone.

A new report from used car platform Motorway suggests that one in five Londoners is considering selling their car in order to avoid paying these charges.

For those drivers who are contemplating whether or not to sell their current vehicle and upgrade to a car that is exempt from emissions penalties, the key consideration is whether they drive enough to justify the investment.

For instance, if a driver with an older diesel car drives through the Ulez every day for the school run, they would end up paying £62.50 per week, which amounts to an annual cost of £2,000 based on the standard 39-week school year.

However, the question remains as to how long it would take to recover the investment through savings on Ulez fines after purchasing a newer car, let's say for £10,000.

To help answer this question, The Telegraph has created a calculator that allows you to input the model of your current car, the desired selling price, the cost of the new car you plan to buy, and how frequently you drive your car into the Ulez each day.