Most drivers who use their vehicle in central London will pay something called the London Congestion Charge.
If you want to drive in central London in a car or van without being legally required to pay this charge, you’ll need to use a vehicle that qualifies for exemption. We explain in this guide how the London Congestion Charge works and list the best cars to use that are exempt from it.
What is the London Congestion Charge?
First introduced back in February 2003, the London Congestion Charge is a fee that was created to reduce the amount of traffic and emissions from the centre of Britain’s capital city.
It also brings significant revenue for Transport for London, raising over £200 million annually in recent years.
The London Congestion Charge zone covers virtually all the roads in central London and is enforced between 7am and 6pm, Monday to Friday. The daily charge is £11.50.
Which cars are exempt from the congestion charge?
Road vehicles are exempt from having to pay the London Congestion Charge if, when in the relevant zone, they emit less than 75g/km of CO2. That means that fully electric cars and vans easily qualify since they emit zero CO2 emissions. At present though, no conventional petrol or diesel-run car has a low enough CO2 output to be exempt from the charge.
Exemptions used to be applied to cars which produced less than 100g/km of CO2, meaning some petrol or diesel cars benefitted from exemption. Since July 2013 however, the threshold has been reduced to 75g/km due to the increasing number of conventional cars which now undercut 100g/km.
Are hybrids exempt from the congestion charge?
Many of the hybrid cars available to buy in Britain’s new car market are in fact exempt from the London Congestion Charge because they emit less than 75g/km of CO2.
Be wary though that the exact CO2 a hybrid car produces can be affected by certain details of its specification. For instance, fitting larger alloy wheels than standard can increase a hybrid’s emissions, potentially high enough to remove its exemption from the Congestion Charge.
List of congestion charge exempt cars
Here’s a look at ten cars in the UK new car market which are exempt from the London Congestion Charge.
There’s quite a lot of motors eligible besides these ten, but these particular congestion charge exempt cars are decent selections for other reasons besides their low CO2 output. They’re all well suited for driving through the centre of the capital city and in other scenarios:
BMW i3
The BMW i3 is a small but impressively practical hatchback with distinctive, futuristic styling, a smart and cleverly-designed interior and surprisingly fun driving characteristics.
There’s a variety of powertrains too as the i3 is offered in both purely-electric form and with a small range extender petrol engine. In either form, the i3 falls comfortably below the CO2 limit to be exempt from the congestion charge.
Hyundai IONIQ
Out of all the alternative-fuel vehicles out there right now, the Hyundai IONIQ is one of most ‘normal’ in terms of looks and feel. It is a very practical and well-made family car with decent performance figures and an engaging driving experience.
You can get the IONIQ in hybrid or fully-electric form (plus soon there will be a plug-in hybrid version too), and the Hyundai is congestion charge exempt and super cheap to run regardless of specification.
Audi A3 e-tron
The Audi A3 Sportback has for years been one of the best hatchbacks around for families. It has premium materials, a solid driving experience and a practical and well-equipped cabin.
The e-tron version carries those strengths but also uses a plug-in hybrid powertrain that emits just 37g/km. Powering the e-tron is a 1.4-litre petrol engine combined with an electric motor, the latter can be used for electric-only driving for a small amount of distance.
Volvo XC90 T8
The Volvo XC90 is a beautifully-made premium SUV with a high-quality interior, a decent drive and potent engines. Frugality is not necessarily something you would associate with a car of this size.
However, the XC90 features the T8 Twin Engine powertrain in its range. This hybrid option combines a 2.0-litre petrol engine with a 34kWh electric motor for nippy performance and CO2 of just 49g/km.
It’s far from the cheapest hybrid option around, but if you want to travel in London in style -and be exempt from the congestion charge - then it’s well worth a closer look.
Renault ZOE
The Renault ZOE is an eye-catching and fairly nippy supermini which is similar in size and looks to conventional options like the Ford Fiesta and Vauxhall Corsa, but significantly more practical.
Its zero-emission electric powertrain ensures cheap running costs and the ZOE also recently added a more powerful 40kWh battery that extends the Renault’s travel range to up to 250 miles officially, making it a great city traveller.
Nissan LEAF
Besides the electric powertrain, the Nissan LEAF doesn’t feel much different to a conventional hatchback in terms of its cabin and handling. In fact, the LEAF can hold its own against rivals looking to attract car buyers after an easy-going family motor.
The interior is spacious and very well thought out and its congestion charge exemption, plus cheap running costs overall makes it worth thinking about for anyone needing a family car for mostly urban travel.
Toyota Prius
Think of hybrid cars and the Prius is likely to be one of the first examples that springs to mind. It’s still one of the most famous and finest examples of a hybrid family car around, with its unique looks, practical cabin, smooth drive and frugal nature.
Just be aware that current Prius models with the larger alloy wheels available emit 76g/km of CO2, which is ever so slightly above the congestion charge exemption figure. However, other versions with the smaller 15-inch wheels emit just 70g/km.
Tesla Model S
If you've got a large enough budget and you want to get through the city or other types of road in a cool, low-cost manner, then the Tesla Model S has to be considered.
This futuristic, fully-electric saloon is fast, very spacious and comes with a vast range of different outputs to suit different preferences in terms of power and speed.
BMW 3 Series 330e
The BMW 3 Series is one of the best compact executive saloons around and higher up its range is a plug-in hybrid version called the 330e.
Combining a 2.0-litre turbocharged petrol engine and electric motor, the 330e can produce up to 249bhp and it emits just 44g/km, while the official combined fuel economy is 148.7mpg.
Volkswagen e-Up!
If you’re looking for a small and very agile car to get around a city with minimum running costs, then the Volkswagen e-Up should be on your list.
The regular Up! is one of the best city cars on the market with a smart and impressively spacious cabin and a decent drive. The e-Up! is more expensive to buy than a regular version of the VW but shares similar strengths and provides a zero CO2 drive courtesy of the 81bhp electric powertrain.