New HMRC rules affecting petrol and diesel car owners are set to launch in December, bringing changes to everything from electric vehicle charging to car production.

The new Labour Party government is rolling out some significant alterations. From Sunday December 1, there will also be changes for company cars, courtesy of HMRC as new advisory fuel rates for company car drivers have been published.

Employers can use these rates to reimburse company car drivers for business fuel. These rates can also be used if employees need to repay the cost of fuel used for private travel.

However, these rates should not be applied to vans. Hybrid cars can be treated as either petrol or diesel cars for this purpose. These amounts also apply for VAT purposes, but employers can only reclaim input VAT if the employee provides a receipt.

From Sunday December 1, there will be changes for company cars as new advisory fuel rates for company car drivers have been published (

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And this isn't the only shake-up to the roads coming in the final month of the year... HMRC has published new Advisory Fuel Rates (AFRs), effective from December 1, which include changes to the pence per mile (ppm) rates for both diesel and petrol company cars, reports Birmingham Live.

AFRs for diesel company cars have all decreased. The rate for a diesel company car with an engine size of more than 2,000cc is cut from 18-17ppm, while the new AFR for a diesel vehicle with an engine from 1,601-2,000cc falls from 14-13ppm.

The reimbursement rate for diesel company cars with engines up to 1,600cc has been slashed from 12ppm to 11ppm. Petrol company car rates have also seen cuts across the board.

In a significant update for HGV operators, new Government regulations stipulate that by December 31, 2024, vehicles equipped with an analogue or digital tachograph and engaging in international travel must be retrofitted with either a "full" smart tachograph 2 or a "transitional" smart tachograph 2. The DVSA clarified: "On or after February 21, 2024, a 'full' smart tachograph 2 or 'transitional' smart tachograph 2 must be fitted into all newly registered in-scope vehicles regardless of journey types."

Charge point operators are now under pressure as they could face hefty fines of £10,000 per charger if they fail to comply with new regulations that took effect in November.

These rules mandate that all EV charge points with a capacity of 8kW and above, including existing chargers of 50kW and above, must offer contactless payment options to users.

By 2035, all cars sold in the UK should produce zero emissions (

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Adam Hall, director of energy services atDrax Electric Vehicles,has pointed out both advancements and chances for growth, saying: "These findings highlight both progress and opportunity. Councils are working hard to modernise their EV infrastructure, but barriers continue to exist. Bridging these gaps is essential to not only build confidence in the UK's EV growing market but also help make the transition smoother for businesses and fleets who rely on a reliable public charging network."

He also highlighted the financial risks industries could face, as outlined by the ESP Group: "Across the country, the potential financial exposure for the industry is substantial, especially for larger operators with hundreds of charge points to manage," they noted, emphasizing that with over 68,000 public charge points now available in the UK, non-compliance with new standards could lead to hefty fines.

There’s also good news for EV owners thanks to recent regulatory updates: starting from the end of November, operators must ensure nearly perfect reliability of their devices, with a required 99 per cent uptime, and provide contactless payment options for new chargers of 8kW and higher as well as existing ones of 50kW and upwards, setting a new standard in user convenience and accessibility.

Reports this week suggest that theLabour Partymay backtrack and dilute the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate. From 1 January 2024, car manufacturers will be required to ensure at least 22% of their car sales and 10% of their van sales are fully electric under the ZEV mandate.

This initiative aims to boost the sale of electric vehicles in a bid to cut emissions. The government intends to gradually increase this percentage so that by 2030, a minimum of 80% of cars sold are electric.

By 2035, all cars sold in the UK should produce zero emissions, aligning with theban on diesel and petrol car sales by 2023.Car manufacturers who fail to meet this target in 2024 will face fines of £15,000 per car and £9,000 per van below the target.