The UK government is facing a significant backlash from the electric vehicle (EV) charging sector and EV manufacturers over its reported plans to further weaken targets for zero-emission vehicle sales. These proposed changes to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which mandate a certain percentage of new car sales to be electric, could see the target for pure electric cars reduced from 80% of all sales by 2030 to 50%.
This potential dilution follows previous adjustments to the mandate last year, which introduced 'flexibilities' allowing for the sale of more plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs). Industry figures argue that a slower transition to fully electric vehicles would severely impact the charging infrastructure sector, which has invested billions based on anticipated future demand. Greg Jackson, CEO of Octopus Energy, criticised the government for choosing 'short-termist incumbent lobbying instead of the long-term future of industry,' stressing that such hesitation undermines investor confidence.
Vicky Read, Chief Executive of ChargeUK, labelled the proposal 'astonishing' and warned of tens of thousands of potential job losses in the long term. She highlighted the substantial investment made by the charging sector ahead of profitability, based on the existing policy framework. Read stated that 'to move the goalposts again would be exactly that – an act of self-harm denying the country a forward facing, economically prosperous industry leaving us behind the rest of the world.'
Environmental implications are also a major concern, as the proposal would likely result in millions more petrol-engine cars on British roads and consequently higher carbon emissions. While plug-in hybrids produce lower emissions than traditional petrol cars, fully electric vehicles produce zero direct carbon emissions and have significantly lower associated lifetime emissions. This move is seen by some as a step backwards in the UK's commitment to climate targets.
Conversely, the proposed changes have been welcomed by some car manufacturers and the Unite union, which represents a large number of workers in British automotive factories. Sharon Graham, Unite's General Secretary, described the changes as 'a huge victory,' asserting that they would 'protect the jobs of UK automotive workers.' However, critics like Anna Krajinska, UK Director at T&E, argue that increasing plug-in hybrid sales could ultimately harm the UK industry by giving an advantage to foreign manufacturers, particularly from China, who are already making inroads into the UK market with their PHEV offerings.
Manufacturers focused on pure electric vehicles, such as Polestar, also stand to lose out. Matt Galvin, Polestar's UK Managing Director, commented that 'weakening these targets allows car manufacturers to decelerate development of EVs at a time when they should be doing exactly the opposite and accelerating their investment and product offering.' This highlights a division within the automotive sector regarding the pace and direction of the transition to electric vehicles.