Ed Miliband, during his two-year period as Energy Secretary, refused to meet with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), the UK motor industry's largest trade body. SMMT boss Mike Hawes stated that requests to discuss the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate with Mr Miliband were unsuccessful.
The ZEV mandate is a government policy that requires carmakers to produce an increasing share of all-electric vehicles over time. Currently, approximately 30 per cent of all vehicles sold by car and van manufacturers must be zero-emission, a target set to rise to 34 per cent next year and 46 per cent in 2028. The ultimate goal is for all new vehicles sold in Britain to be all-electric by 2035.
Mr Hawes told reporters that the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (Desnz), where Mr Miliband served, was the department with which the SMMT had the least success in engaging. He added that reform to the mandate is vital and called for a review, originally slated for 2027, to be brought forward and resolved this year.