2:20 pm, September 27, 2023
The government has confirmed to car manufacturers that they will still be expected to meet strict targets when it comes to EV sales, despite the 2030 ban being pushed back
Car Dealer reported last week that, despite the 2030 date being switched to 2035, the controversial ZEV mandate will remain unchanged for carmakers.
The policy will require a certain percentage of the sales of every car manufacturer to be electric, otherwise, firms will be fined.
Next year, the required percentage will be 22 per cent, rising each year to 80 per cent in 2030, when new petrol and diesel car sales will be banned, followed by hybrids five years later.
Car makers unable to meet their targets will be fined, with the government proposing a £15,000 penalty for every non-electric car and £18,000 per non-electric van they miss their target by.
A spokesman for the Department for Transport told Car Dealer last week that the measures were not impacted by Rishi Sunak’s watering down of eco policies.
That was confirmed to some of the biggest car brand’s in the industry on Monday, when the government held talks with the likes of BMW, Toyota, Stellantis, Jaguar Land Rover, Ford, Bentley and McLaren.
The Times reports that Ministers told bosses that the plans will still be rolled out, as planned, from January and that they are now just awaiting approval from the devolved administrations.
The news means that, in effect, nothing will change when it comes to EV uptake, despite the headline 2030 date being pushed back.
This has led some to accuse the government of using the issue as a potential ‘vote winner’ ahead of a general election next year.
However, former Top Gear presenter Quentin Wilson, who now works for Faircharge, welcomed the news.
He said: ‘Certainty on the ZEV mandate is long overdue and gives carmakers some reassurance on future industrial policy after the almost universal dismay at last week’s surprising 2030 U-turn.’
Matt Finch, of the Transport and Environment think tank, added: ‘It is a good regulation that will guarantee cheaper driving and cleaner air.
‘But it’s being published against a background where the prime minister has created huge uncertainty about whether the government will stick to its climate policies just to pander to the net-zero sceptics in his party.’
The issue was among the stories adressed on the latest issue of the Car Dealer Podcast.
Speaking about the ZEV mandate, co-host James Baggott, said: ‘That ZEV mandate is probably more important than the deadline.
‘If they [carmakers] still have to hit that 22 per cent next year then they’re still going to be throwing everything at it because remember they get fined £15,000 per car that they miss their target by.
‘Dealers I have spoken to have said that is more important than anything else and I think in some ways government has been quite clever with this.
‘They have grabbed all the headlines by saying they’re pushing it back by five years to 2035 but at the same time they haven’t really adjusted it at all because they are still saying to dealers and manufacturers that next year they’re going to have to hit these targets.’
You can listen to the full podcast here.
