Government revises electric vehicle requirement

Home > Industry Analysis > Content

【Summary】The UK government has updated its ZEV mandate, requiring a certain percentage of cars and vans sold by manufacturers to be zero-emission. The 2024 targets remain unchanged, but the government has softened other targets due to the delay in the sale of petrol and diesel cars. By 2030, manufacturers must ensure that 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans are electric, increasing incrementally to 100% by 2035.

FutureCar Staff Sep 30, 2023 6:22 AM PT

Government revises electric vehicle requirement

The UK government has recently made updates to its zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate. This mandate sets out the requirement for vehicle manufacturers to sell a certain percentage of zero-emission cars and vans starting from next year. The percentage will gradually increase over time.

While the 2024 requirement remains unchanged, with at least 22% of new cars and 10% of new vans needing to be zero-emission, other targets have been adjusted. This comes after the government announced a delay in the sale of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030 to 2035. The new ZEV mandate now states that by 2030, manufacturers must ensure that 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans are electric. These proportions will then increase incrementally until reaching 100% in 2035.

Transport Secretary Mark Harper has expressed that this mandate provides certainty for manufacturers, offers more options for drivers, and contributes to economic growth by creating skilled jobs.

However, Dominic Phinn, senior policy manager at Climate Group, has voiced concerns about the government's decision. Phinn believes that while it is positive that manufacturers will be required to ensure 80% of their passenger car sales are fully electric by 2030, it is disappointing to see lowered targets for vans. The recent delay in the phase-out date for petrol and diesel cars has also dampened enthusiasm among businesses, making it harder for them to confidently invest in electric vehicles. Phinn urges the government to fulfill its commitments and support the transition to electric vehicles as part of the net zero emissions goal by 2050.