The UK government has launched a review into its electric vehicle (EV) sales targets, a move that could see the current mandate significantly reduced following pressure from car manufacturers.
Currently, under the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, car makers are required to ensure a rising percentage of their new car sales each year are zero emissions, aiming for 80% by 2030. The government is now considering lowering this 2030 figure to as little as 50% of all sales.
A public consultation on the proposed changes has been opened and will run until late October. Environmental groups have swiftly criticised the potential dilution of the targets, arguing it could jeopardise the UK's long-term climate commitments.
The ZEV mandate, which began in 2024 with a 22% target, requires 33% of new car sales to be EVs by 2026, incrementally increasing to 80% by 2030.
Despite the proposed review of the annual sales targets, the outright ban on selling purely petrol or diesel cars beyond 2030 is set to remain in place. Similarly, a longer-term deadline for phasing out new hybrid sales will continue for 2035.
The changes currently under consultation could, if implemented, allow car makers to increase the proportion of hybrid vehicles they sell within the UK's overall new car market. This means if the pure electric sales target is dropped to 50% by 2030, the remaining 50% would likely need to be hybrid vehicles.
Another option being considered in the review is to maintain the 80% EV sales target for 2030 but introduce greater flexibility for manufacturers, potentially extending the period for compliance as far as 2034.
The policy landscape surrounding EV sales has undergone several shifts in recent years. An initial ban on new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030 was announced by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson. This deadline was subsequently pushed back to 2035 by his successor, Rishi Sunak, who also introduced the more gradual EV sales targets through the ZEV mandate.
The Labour party has previously accused past Conservative administrations of "moving goalposts on phase out dates" regarding the transition to electric vehicles.
The government's review follows calls from motor industry figures who have urged ministers to ease the targets. Manufacturers have argued that consumer demand for electric vehicles has not yet reached sufficient levels to meet the current targets economically, leading to significant costs for companies.
This perspective from the industry contrasts with recent sales figures. According to data from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), electric cars accounted for a quarter of all new car sales in the UK during the first seven months of the year.
The Climate Change Committee, the government's official advisory body on climate issues, has consistently stated that transitioning from petrol and diesel engines to EVs represents the most effective strategy for reducing carbon emissions over the next decade.
Speaking on Friday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander stated: "It's right we keep targets under review to ensure they're practical and back British industry. The end goal hasn't changed – but we need to take business with us on the journey, and that's exactly what we're doing today, by making sure industry has the chance to shape how we get there."
Lisa Brankin, managing director of Ford of Britain, welcomed the government's "willingness to listen" to car makers, emphasising the need to "give the industry and customers the certainty that we need."
Mike Hawes, chief executive of the SMMT, the prominent car industry lobby group, added that the ZEV mandate was "conceived under vastly different conditions." He described the review as "a timely opportunity to adjust the transition so it works for all."
However, electric car advocates and environmental groups have strongly criticised the proposed policy adjustments.
Tanya Sinclair, the boss of industry group Electric Vehicles UK, questioned the government's timing, stating it was "asking whether we should extend the availability of polluting vehicles amid our hottest summer on record."
The Energy & Climate Intelligence Unit, a think tank, has calculated that a reduction of the EV sales target to 50% would result in approximately 2.6 million fewer electric cars on UK roads by 2035.
Gurjeet Grewal, chief of Octopus Electric Vehicles, warned that weakening the mandate "would send exactly the wrong signal, just as EVs are becoming some of the best-value cars on the road." The rapid rise in petrol prices, linked to global events such as the Iran war, has reportedly contributed to an increase in consumer interest in electric cars worldwide as a measure to manage spending.
The Green Alliance, an environmental organisation, cautioned that watering down the targets would "lock in avoidable emissions while undermining the certainty manufacturers need to invest."
