The ULEZ expansion came into action on Tuesday, meaning all London boroughs will be subject to the charge for the most polluting of vehicles.

The ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) was introduced in 2019 to help reduce the amount of pollution in the capital. As of August 29, all of London will be covered by the £12.50 charge for the vehicles producing the worst emissions and a map has been released of the zone, which will not include the M25.

It is thought to affect 15 per cent of vehicles in the area and it has seen a scrappage scheme established to entice motorists to swap their high-polluting cars for a greener model.

ULEZ and its expansion scheme has not been universally popular and was considered to be a factor in why Labour lost the Uxbridge and West Ruislip by-election to the Conservative Party.

However, Labour mayor of London Sadiq Khan has vowed to press ahead after winning a ruling at the High Court.

Mr Khan said at the time: “This landmark decision is good news as it means we can proceed with cleaning up the air in outer London on August 29. The decision to expand the ULEZ was very difficult and not something I took lightly and I continue to do everything possible to address any concerns Londoners may have.”

The Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will be extended to all of London’s boroughs in an effort to promote public health and clean up the city’s air from August 29, 2023.

An estimated five million Londoners will breathe cleaner air, according to City Hall, due to the likely impact of a city-wide zone further accelerating the switch to cleaner vehicles in the suburbs. More than 96 per cent of cars in the existing zone, which extends to the inner boundaries of the North and South Circular Roads, comply with the exhaust-emission rules and do not have to pay the 24/7 charge.

So, which cars are ULEZ compliant and what does the ULEZ mean?

Which cars are ULEZ-compliant?

Cars that meet certain emission standards are exempt from the ULEZ charge.

This is because the charge was designed to lessen the number of high-polluting vehicles on the road and improve air quality. It serves as a penalty for those who continue to drive heavily polluting cars, lorries, bikes, and buses through London.

If your vehicle is one of the following, it will be exempt from the ULEZ charge:

• A diesel car that meets Euro 6 standards

• A petrol car that meets Euro 4 standards

• Is a full-electric car

• Hybrid cars and mild hybrids must meet Euro 4 or 6 depending on their engine type

When driving through the ultra-low emissions zone, ULEZ charges will apply unless you are in one of the above vehicles. However, you may still be charged if you have failed to inform TFL that you are driving a ULEZ-compliant vehicle.

According to TFL, petrol cars that meet the ULEZ standards are generally those first registered with the DVLA after 2005, although cars that meet the standards have been available since 2001.

Diesel cars that meet the standards are generally those first registered with the DVLA after September 2015.

Cars need to meet minimum emissions standards when travelling within the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) or the daily £12.50 charge must be paid.

ULEZ-compliant cars are any cars that meet the emissions standards outlined above, but some popular models which are ULEZ-compliant include:

• Nissan Leaf

• Honda Jazz

• Suzuki Sport Swift

• Ford Fiesta EcoBoost

• Skoda Octavia

• Toyota Prius

• Volkswagen Golf

• Audi A3 Sportback

• SEAT Ibiza

• Kia Ceed

Any full-electric car model is exempt, but you should check if you are using any other type of car, including semi-electric hybrid cars.