Drivers have been warned that a pay-per-mile system of taxing vehicles could leave men paying more than women to stay on the road.
Whilst the Government has reassured drivers that they will not be reforming the way in which drivers tax their vehicles in the October Budget, some have argued that it would be fairer for electric vehicle owners.
One of the biggest supporters of the pay-per-mile system is Campaign for Better Transport, who argued it is necessary in order to replace fuel duty.
They explained: "The way motoring is taxed needs to change. As petrol and diesel are phased out and more people switch to zero-emission vehicles (ZEVs), the money raised by fuel tax is declining (not helped by fuel duty having been frozen for over a decade).
"We are calling for a charge to be levied on ZEVs on a per-mile basis, at a low enough rate that it remains cheaper to drive a ZEV more than a polluting vehicle."
The current form of Vehicle Excise Duty (VED), better known as road tax, is applied on all vehicles registered after April 2017. During the vehicle's first year on the roads, drivers will need to pay a rate based on the emissions made by it, with owners charged a flat rate of £190 for each year afterwards.
However, under a pay-per-mile system, drivers would instead be charged a unique amount based on the distance they travel in their vehicle.
Some motoring experts argue that the introduction of a pay-per-mile system in the near future will be needed, with the increasing number of electric cars on the road causing profits made from fuel duty to fall.
Nevertheless, an introduction of pay-per-mile road tax could cause some disparities among motorists, including the gender of motorists.
Whilst it is currently unknown how much drivers would be charged per mile, the Campaign for Better Transport have speculated a cost of 2p per kilometre. If this amount is enforced under a pay-per-mile scheme, the average female motorist, who travels an average distance of 6,984km (4,340 miles) would have to pay nearly £140 per year.
In comparison, male drivers, who travel slightly more at 8,114km (5,042 miles), would understandably pay more for road tax at about £160.
