Congestion Charge 2026: New Rates For PCO And EV Drivers In London
For PCO car drivers in London, 2026 has just changed two of your highest daily costs. From 2 January 2026, the London Congestion Charge rose from £15 to £18 per day, and the full EV exemption that many drivers relied on is no longer available.
Whether you’ve just got your TfL PCO Car licence or you’ve been on the road for years, these changes hit your weekly income directly. Here’s what changed, and how to keep your costs down.
Congestion Charge 2026: Here Is What Changed
On top of the £3 daily increase, the 100% Cleaner Vehicle Discount (CVD) for EVs ended on 25 December 2025. EVs are no longer free to enter the zone, but they still pay less than petrol or diesel, provided the vehicle is registered on TfL Auto Pay.
The zone covers the busiest areas in London for ride-hailing: the City, Westminster, Soho, Mayfair, Knightsbridge, and the South Bank. If you work in these areas regularly, the £18 daily charge becomes a fixed weekly cost that eats straight into your take-home from PCO car rental in London.
Here is a clear breakdown of what has changed and what applies now:
Kia eNiro
£200/week
Kia Niro 2
£255/week
MG S9
£289/week
Ford Tourneo
£400/week
Hyundai Ioniq SE
£200/week
Hyundai Kona
£200/week
KIA Niro 3
£259/week
KIA Sorento 2025
£370/week
Mercedes Benz EQE
£400/week
Mercedes E300 2025
£425/week
Mercedes E300e AMG
£450/week
Mercedes-Benz E300e
£320/week
MG 5
£190/week
| Charges | Before 2026 | From 2 January 2026 |
Daily Charge | £15 | £18 |
Late Payment (within 3 days) | £17.50 | £21 |
EV Discount | 100% exempt (free) | 25% via Auto Pay (£13.50) |
Petrol / Diesel / Hybrid | £15 full rate | £18 full rate, no discount |
Zone Coverage | City of London, Westminster, Soho, Mayfair, Knightsbridge, South Bank | Unchanged |
When Does The Congestion Charge Apply?
Knowing the charge hours is one of the easiest ways to protect your PCO Hire earnings without cutting trips. The Congestion Charge applies every day of the year except 25 December to 1 January, during these hours:
- Weekdays: 7:00 am – 6:00 pm
- Weekends and Bank Holidays: 12:00 pm – 6:00 pm
On weekdays, working before 7:00 am or after 6:00 pm avoids the charge entirely. On weekends, focus on early mornings before noon. Either approach can cut your monthly Congestion Charge bill significantly. If you’re looking for a PCO car for rent in London, understanding these timings can also help you choose shifts more strategically and maximise take-home earnings
Use Waze or Google Maps to track zone boundaries and avoid entering during charge hours by accident.
How The Charge Affects Weekly Income From PCO Car Hire
The vehicle you choose, the platform you drive on, and the zones you work in all directly affect how much you take home at the end of the week.
Your Vehicle Type Determines Your Discount
If you drive petrol, diesel, or hybrid, you pay the full £18 with no discount available. Electric cars receive a 25% discount (£13.50 per day), and larger electric vehicles, including electric vans and HGVs, receive a 50% discount, provided the vehicle is registered through TfL Auto Pay. For PCO drivers entering the zone five days a week, the EV discount saves around £22.50 per week, or roughly £1,170 a year.
Choosing a reliable PCO car rental in London can also make a big difference, helping you spend less time dealing with breakdowns or compliance concerns and more time completing profitable trips across the city.
Also Read: Choosing Between Saloons, SUVs, and 7-Seaters for PCO Hire
How Your Ride-Hailing Platform Helps Cover the Cost
The Congestion Charge is a daily cost, but the platform you drive on can help offset it. Uber adds a £2 surcharge to every trip that starts, ends, or passes through the Congestion Charge zone, meaning 9 trips inside the zone cover the full £18 daily fee. Bolt does not currently apply a flat Congestion Charge surcharge, though fares may adjust based on zone and demand.
If most of your shifts are central, this works in your favour. If you’re splitting time between central and outer London, the platform offset becomes less reliable. This is why many drivers choose to rent a PCO car in London, as it provides flexibility, access to compliant vehicles, and a lower upfront commitment when managing these rising daily operating costs
ULEZ vs Congestion Charge: What's The Difference?
These two charges are often confused, but they work very differently and affect your costs in distinct ways.
The Congestion Charge applies only within the defined central zone during charge hours and is intended to manage traffic volume.
The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) covers all 33 London boroughs, 24/7, every day of the year. If your vehicle doesn’t meet the required emission standards, you pay £12.50 per day on top of any Congestion Charge you already owe. Fully electric vehicles are exempt from ULEZ, meaning zero ULEZ fees anywhere in London
For high-mileage PCO drivers covering the whole city, that ULEZ exemption is a significant weekly saving that stacks on top of the Auto Pay Congestion Charge discount. This is one of the key reasons many drivers look into PCO car for rent in London, as it gives access to compliant, often low-emission or electric vehicles without the upfront cost of ownership.
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The EV Advantage For PCO Drivers in 2026
Even without the full exemption, driving an electric car still makes strong financial sense for a PCO car driver in central London. The 25% Congestion Charge discount, zero ULEZ fees across all 33 boroughs, and lower running costs per mile combine to protect your weekly earnings in a way petrol or diesel can’t.
For drivers on a Rent to Buy plan, those savings stack, cutting your running costs while you work toward owning the vehicle outright.
Start Earning Today.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much is the Congestion Charge in London in 2026?
The standard daily Congestion Charge is £18. Electric vehicles registered on TfL Auto Pay pay a reduced rate of £13.50.
When can I pay the London Congestion Charge?
You can pay the London Congestion Charge up to 90 days in advance, on the day of travel. If you miss the payment deadline, you can still pay within 3 days, but the cost increases to £21 if paid by midnight on the third day
How can PCO drivers reduce Congestion Charge costs?
The most effective way is switching to an electric vehicle to benefit from Auto Pay discounts. Planning shifts outside charging hours can also help reduce or avoid charges.
Does every car pay the Congestion Charge?
No, only vehicles entering the central London zone during charging hours are charged. Electric vehicles pay a reduced rate, while outside-hours driving is not charged.
When do I have to pay the Congestion Charge in a day?
Congestion charges apply per day, not per trip. So, you only pay once per day if your vehicle enters the charging zone during operating hours, no matter how many times you drive in or out that day.
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