New cars that emit more than 255g/km will be hit by a £950 first year Vehicle Excise Duty bill from 2010 as part of large-scale changes to VED aimed at driving people towards lower-emitting cars.

At the same time, models under 131g/km will be handed a free first year’s road tax, while models between 131-160g/km will be charged at the same banded levels as older vehicles with the same emissions figures.

After the first year, all new models will fall into their respective CO2-influenced VED bands.

But before that, six new VED bands will be introduced next year to make a total of 13, including a new M banding for very high polluters emitting more than 255g/km.

At the moment, the top G band covers everything over 225g/km.

Next year’s reforms will also see a reduction for all new and existing cars that emit less than 151g/km, but an increase to £440 on the highest polluters, cars over 255g/km. That rises to £455 in 2010.

In an aside, alternatively fuelled cars such as hybrids and LPG models will find their discount gradually eroded to £15 in 2009/10, £10 in 2010/11 and removed completely in favour of a technology-neutral CO2-based system in 2011.

VED changes from 2008
VED band CO2 (g/km) 2008/9 (£) CO2 (g/km) 2009/10 (£) 2010/11 new car (£) 2010/11 after first year (£)
A -101 0 Up to 100 0 0 0
B 101–120 35 101–110 20 0 20
C 121–150 120 111–120 30 0 35
D 151–165 145 121–130 90 0 95
E 166–185 170 131–140 110 115 115
F Over 186 210 141–150 120 125 125
G Over 226 400 151–160 150 155 155
H     161–170 175 250 180
I     171–180 205 300 210
J     181–200 260 425 270
K     201–225 300 550 310
L     226–255 415 750 430
M     Over 255 440 950 455