Electric Car Number Plates

Like any other car, electric cars need to have number plates displayed on the front and back of the vehicle. The only difference is that electric car number plates have one extra detail that others do not. In June 2020, the transport secretary of the UK announced that green number plates would be fitted to new electric cars.

Each electric car number plate bears a flash of green on the far left of the plate before the letters start. This additional colour indicates that the car is an electric vehicle, and it is designed to make them more easily identifiable on the roads. The idea behind these new number plates is to encourage more people to switch to electric cars. The government is hoping that by making electric vehicles more visible, more motorists will be encouraged to make the switch to cleaner vehicles.

Only cars with zero emissions can have the new electric car number plates. This includes all-electric vehicles, as well as hydrogen fuel cell cars. If you have an electric car registered before the 1st of April 2020, you are not eligible to have the new number plate. The same goes for hybrid cars – they do not count, as they are not zero-carbon emission vehicles.

Beyond making electric cars more recognisable as a group, the new number plates have a few benefits. Firstly, electric car owners will be able to park for free in some areas. This is because many local councils offer free or discounted parking for electric cars as an incentive to encourage people to switch to cleaner vehicles. Electric car drivers are also exempt from paying the London congestion charge.

Another advantage may be in where electric cars can go. Cambridge City is trialling electric cars being able to access bus lanes, which may be rolled out to a broader area if successful. Most importantly of all, electric car number plates alert people easily to the fact that the car operates differently to other vehicles. This can be critical in certain scenarios, such as if an electric vehicle is involved in an accident, the general public and local authorities can quickly spot that difference which means there may be a risk of high voltages or fire while carrying out rescue activities. Ergo, this information can lead to them being better prepared to deal with the accident.

Although dealers will likely fit new electric car number plates to any vehicle in their possession, it is not compulsory. If you prefer to keep your old number plates, you are free to do so. As of now, the change in number plates is mostly cosmetic; however, if you are looking to take advantage of the future benefits that may come with having electric car number plates, then you may need to make sure that your vehicle has one fitted.

You can purchase new electric car number plates online. Visit our Number Plate Builder to create your own. To order, you will need to provide proof of your ID and that you own the car using the V5 document. This is the same requirement for changing your number plate to any other kind. If you want to differentiate your vehicle from the sea of other Tesla’s around you, you may want to consider opting for a 3D gel domed effect or our 4D acrylic lettered number plates.

None. Asides from the green band for electric vehicles, the DVLA has mandated that all number plates must be white on the front, and yellow on the rear, with solid black text. You cannot change the font or colours in any way. For a brief period, it was legal to use shades of grey within the lettering to create some different 3D effects, but these, along with any other form of refinement, have now been banned.