Road tax is one of several recurring vehicle costs alongside fuel, insurance, depreciation, and maintenance. For high-emission vehicles, road tax can exceed €1,000-€2,000 per year — easily 10-20% of total annual ownership cost. Always factor it in when comparing two vehicles, especially when choosing between petrol/diesel/hybrid/EV options.
Road Tax Calculator
Road tax (vehicle excise duty, Kfz-Steuer, taxe sur les véhicules) varies enormously by country. The UK uses CO2 emissions bands. Germany combines engine displacement with CO2 surcharge. France charges a CO2-based malus écologique. The US is highly variable by state, typically based on weight or value. Our road tax calculator implements the standard formulas for the major systems and gives you an annual estimate plus a multi-year total.
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Updated: April 2026
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analyticsRoad Tax
Annual Tax
$210
Monthly: $17.50
Total Over 5 Years
$1,050
Method
UK VED — CO2-based
Interpretation
Moderate road tax — typical for average passenger cars
tips_and_updates Tips
- • EVs are exempt or reduced in most jurisdictions — check the specific rule
- • UK VED rises sharply above 150 g/km CO2 — high-emitting cars cost £1,000+/year
- • Germany taxes diesel engines almost 5× more than petrol per cc
- • France's malus écologique can exceed €5,000 for high-CO2 cars
- • US states vary wildly — some have no road tax, others charge by weight or value
- • First-year vehicle tax is often higher than subsequent years
- • Factor road tax into the total cost of ownership when comparing vehicles
functions Formula
{UK: VED bands by CO2 • Germany: Engine cc × rate + CO2 surcharge • France: malus by CO2 [{VED UK Vehicle Excise Duty — bands by CO2 g/km} {Kfz-Steuer Germany — €2/100cc petrol or €9.50/100cc diesel + CO2 above 95 g/km} {Malus France CO2-based ecological tax} {EVs Electric vehicles typically exempt or heavily reduced}] Road tax structures reflect each country's environmental and fiscal priorities. The UK prices CO2 emissions directly. Germany combines an engine size base (encouraging smaller engines) with a CO2 surcharge for high-emitting vehicles. France uses a steep malus to discourage high-CO2 cars. The US varies wildly by state but typically uses weight or value rather than emissions.}
science Example: UK petrol car, 120 g/km CO2
120 g/km falls in the £210 UK VED band. Monthly equivalent £17.50, or £1,050 over 5 years. EVs (0 g/km) currently pay £0 but this changes from 2025.
Expected Results
Annual Tax
$210
Monthly
$17.5
Method
UK VED — CO2-based
How to Use This Calculator
1
Pick country
Choose UK, Germany, France, or US.
2
Pick fuel type
EV usually exempt; diesel often taxed more.
3
Enter engine and CO2
Provide engine size and CO2 emissions from registration documents.
4
Read estimate
Review annual, monthly, and multi-year totals.
The Formula
Road tax structures reflect each country's environmental and fiscal priorities. The UK prices CO2 emissions directly. Germany combines an engine size base (encouraging smaller engines) with a CO2 surcharge for high-emitting vehicles. France uses a steep malus to discourage high-CO2 cars. The US varies wildly by state but typically uses weight or value rather than emissions.
UK: VED bands by CO2 • Germany: Engine cc × rate + CO2 surcharge • France: malus by CO2
lightbulb Variables Explained
- VED UK Vehicle Excise Duty — bands by CO2 g/km
- Kfz-Steuer Germany — €2/100cc petrol or €9.50/100cc diesel + CO2 above 95 g/km
- Malus France CO2-based ecological tax
- EVs Electric vehicles typically exempt or heavily reduced
tips_and_updates Pro Tips
1
EVs are exempt or reduced in most jurisdictions — check the specific rule
2
UK VED rises sharply above 150 g/km CO2 — high-emitting cars cost £1,000+/year
3
Germany taxes diesel engines almost 5× more than petrol per cc
4
France's malus écologique can exceed €5,000 for high-CO2 cars
5
US states vary wildly — some have no road tax, others charge by weight or value
6
First-year vehicle tax is often higher than subsequent years
7
Factor road tax into the total cost of ownership when comparing vehicles
Frequently Asked Questions
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Data sourced from trusted institutions
All formulas verified against official standards.