I have a 1.6L Hyundai i130 diesel which I bought new it Sept 2016 on which I pay zero road tax. That's because at the time, government policy was based on low CO2 emissions, and the government was still encouraging people to buy diesel cars. I can't recall the CO2 level at which zero tax was levied. When I bought it, I think there was a nominal £20 in the first year only. when I sell the car, as I will when the five year warranty expiries in August next year, a new owner will have to pay whatever tax applies then. Of course, now, diesel cars are demonised and the objective is, we're told, to reduce nitrous oxide emissions, so next year, when I buy a new car, it will be petrol (the consequences of which is already increased CO2 levels). What I most certainly will not be buying is electric. Electric cars have a dreadful 'environmental footprint'. True, their tailpipe emissions are water vapour so it reduces pollution in urban environments, but while ever power stations use fossil fuels to generate electricity your 'tailpipe' is at the power station. What's more, the mining and refining of lithium and other minerals which go into and manufacturing of batteries for electric cars (which have a limited life-span before they're recycled) is extremely polluting and energy intensive. Hydrogen then? Most of it is still made from fossil fuels - not from electrolysis of water (which is very energy intensive).
