STORY
The Government has launched a review of the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate, asking manufacturers, suppliers, charge point operators, dealers, consumers and communities for views on the annual sales targets that apply to electric vehicles. The consultation opened on 14 August and will run until 23 October 2026, while the Government says its longer term commitment to phase out sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 remains unchanged.
Under the current policy, all new cars and vans must be fully zero emission by 2035. The review will consider whether the existing annual targets for manufacturers remain appropriate in light of market conditions, supply chain pressures, tariffs and wider trade uncertainty. The Government said manufacturers are currently on track to meet their targets and that the mandate already includes flexibilities intended to help companies comply.
More than one in four new cars sold in the UK are now electric, according to figures cited by the Department for Transport, with electric vehicle sales in July up 45% compared with the same month last year. More than two million electric vehicles are registered on UK roads. The Government has also committed £600 million towards additional charge points and says the Electric Car Grant, worth up to £3,750 on qualifying vehicles, has supported more than 160,000 purchases since its launch last year.