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The government has launched a consultation on the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which currently sets a target for 80% of all new car sales to be zero emission by 2030. There are reports that the government is considering weakening the targets, from 80% to as low as 50%.
After weeks of extreme temperatures, drought and fires across the UK and Europe, the big picture is that action needs to be taken to combat climate change, as well as the very overlooked issue of air pollution. And from the perspective of motorists, electric cars are much better to drive than petrol and diesel cars, they deliver much lower running costs for most people, and they don’t rely on fossil fuels from areas such as the Middle East with geopolitical turbulence resulting in volatile prices. Therefore electric cars are a much more sensible solution, and they remain the future (as well as the present).
Electric car sales have been increasing at an impressive rate – EVs had a 27.5% market share in the UK in July 2026, and a 30.0% market share in June 2026 but progress towards the existing ZEV mandate targets has, officially, been falling behind in terms of the sales needed each year, but with the flexibilities in the system, the targets have actually been met over previous years.
However the significant fines imposed on manufacturers for not meeting the targets, when other factors may influence people’s car buying decisions, is a fair source of contention.
This decision to water down EV sales targets risks creating more confusion for UK motorists about whether their next car should be an EV, as well as for global car companies planning their models for the UK market. We are now entering a period when manufacturers who have had the vision to invest in the development of electric cars will enjoy the market advantage – and that includes many Chinese brands, because China has seen the move to electric cars as an economic opportunity, in contrast to some views in the UK.
The industry – including car makers and charging companies – needs long-term clarity, and the potential outcome of weakening the ZEV mandate targets represents yet another change of government policy that will impact on investment plans.
Any consultation about these plans will no doubt generate a lot of heated debate, and it will be interesting to see how this plays out with Andy Burnham as Prime Minister.
Paul Clarke, Green Car Guide’s Editor, says that the key point is that regardless of government targets, it’s essential to communicate the benefits of EVs to UK car buyers so motorists make the shift – see the amazing range of electric cars on offer here.
