The UK government has launched a consultation on the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, seeking industry and public views on the pathway to ending sales of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and ensuring all new cars and vans are fully zero-emission by 2035.
The review, announced today (14th August), invites feedback from vehicle manufacturers, suppliers, charge point operators, dealers, consumers, and communities. Submissions are open until 23 October 2026.
The consultation comes as the UK’s electric vehicle market continues to grow. Official figures show that more than one in four new cars sold are now electric, with EV sales up 45% compared to July last year. Over two million electric vehicles are now registered on UK roads, and July recorded the strongest new car market since 2019.
The government noted that manufacturers are currently on track to meet their 2025 targets, with built-in flexibilities available. However, it acknowledged challenging global economic conditions, including supply chain disruption and trade uncertainties, as factors behind the decision to review the mandate’s annual targets.
The ZEV Mandate requires manufacturers to sell an increasing proportion of zero-emission vehicles each year. The government has committed to keeping the mandate under review to ensure it remains fair for industry, supports investment, and maintains consumer choice.
The consultation fulfils a pledge to review the mandate by 2027, with the government stating it aims to provide industry with certainty on the outcome as quickly as possible.
The UK has committed £7.5 billion to support the transition, including funding for manufacturing, consumer grants, and charging infrastructure. The government’s Electric Car Grant, offering up to £3,750 off a new EV, has already assisted over 160,000 buyers since its launch last July.
The phase-out of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, followed by full zero-emission new car and van sales by 2035, remains the stated legal pathway. The consultation will help shape how that target is delivered.
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.’
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?’
Photo: Randy Tarampi
Leave a Reply