The consultation
Leaders from across the electric vehicle and charging industries have responded to the publication today of the Government's consultation on the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate.
The consultation follows weeks of speculation about potential reform of the mandate, including changes to the 2030 battery electric vehicle (BEV) target and extended allowances for plug-in hybrids. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders and unions have claimed thousands of jobs are at risk if the mandate remains in its current format. ChargeUK has countered that tens of thousands of jobs are at risk from a slower transition, estimating that a stable mandate and wider transport electrification could create 334,000 jobs and deliver £385 billion in value to the UK economy.
New YouGov polling for ChargeUK, published this week, found that only just over a third of the public (37%) want the transition to electric vehicles to slow down. That figure falls to 21% among those who voted Labour at the 2024 general election, when reinstating the 2030 ZEV mandate was a manifesto commitment.
The market data points the same way. BEVs accounted for 27% of new car registrations in July, up 49% year-on-year, and remained above the ZEV mandate trajectory for a second consecutive month.
Sector reaction
Delvin Lane, CEO, InstaVolt, said:
"Ultra-rapid charging investment doesn't happen on the back of uncertainty. We've invested hundreds of millions of pounds into the UK's charging network because government policy gave us a clear runway to plan against. Softening the mandate at this stage risks spooking exactly the private capital that's been building the infrastructure this transition depends on.
"Meanwhile, hundreds of thousands of drivers are choosing to go electric. The numbers back this up: BEVs made up 27% of new car registrations in July, up 49% year-on-year, and staying above the ZEV Mandate trajectory for a second month running. OEMs need to recognise that this demand is real and seize it, or risk watching competitors take the opportunity they're hesitating over."
Toby Poston, Chief Executive of the BVRLA, said:
"Today's consultation on the ZEV Mandate provides a vital opportunity to take stock of the UK's transition to zero emission vehicles. BVRLA members have already invested more than £36 billion in 750,000 electric vehicles and have been the driving force behind the UK's shift to electric mobility. We will engage fully with this consultation, representing members from across the sector and ensuring Government understands where policy is working, where greater support is needed, and how we can keep the transition moving with confidence."
Ginny Buckley, chief executive of Electrifying.com, the electric car buying and advice site, said:
"Debate around the ZEV mandate is increasingly polarised, but the biggest threat to EV sales is constant flip-flopping and a lack of clear direction.
"I'd rather see no change to the existing mandate, however, life is all about compromise. I understand the pragmatic case for a 2030 target closer to 60%, while recognising plug-in hybrids with meaningful electric range. Mild hybrids are different: they can't drive on electric power alone and remain fundamentally petrol cars.
"Whatever Government decides, it then needs to stick. Drivers need confidence in where we're heading, and the charging industry needs certainty to keep investing ahead of demand."
Tanya Sinclair, CEO of Electric Vehicles UK, said:
"There is a remarkable cognitive dissonance in a government who is asking whether we should extend the availability of polluting vehicles amid our hottest summer on record.
"It hasn't rained for weeks, our ground is parched, air quality is poor. Electric vehicles are the most powerful public health and climate change intervention we have to mitigate these changes, as much as we're able.
"And to top it off, they are cheaper to buy and drive, and fantastically equipped with the latest tech. It's all upside, so why isn't this government doing everything in its power to enable their uptake?"
Gurjeet Grewal, CEO, Octopus Electric Vehicles, said:
"The ZEV mandate is working – giving manufacturers confidence to invest and drivers confidence to switch. Weakening it now would send exactly the wrong signal, just as EVs are becoming some of the best-value cars on the road.
"Carbon Brief estimates weaker targets could cost consumers £3bn a year in expensive petrol by 2030. We should be accelerating the transition, not creating another policy wobble that leaves drivers, businesses and the UK economy paying the price."
