ZEV mandate UK: Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate explained

2040 to 2030, then delayed to 2035, and now finally cemented to 2030 – the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles keeps changing lanes as the government swaps hands. But one thing is certain – the UK ZEV mandate is here to stay.

But what is the zero-emission vehicle mandate? What does the ZEV mandate mean for UK drivers?

Today’s guide is focused entirely on the UK government’s zero-emission vehicle mandate.

What is the ZEV mandate?

To summarise, the 137-page Zero Emission Vehicle mandate (ZEV) policy was introduced on January 3rd 2024, under Rishi Sunak’s conservative government. Essentially, it acts as a roadmap to a cleaner, greener economy for the UK.

In short, the UK ZEV mandate states 80% of all new cars and 70% of new vans sold will be zero emission by 2030 before increasing to 100% in 2035. Each year will see an incremental increase, nudging the targets up higher until we hit 100% in 2035. By then, the ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles will have officially come into play, and all roads will lead to a less carbon-intensive future.

While the law was introduced last year under the Conservatives, there doesn’t seem to be any UK electric vehicle mandate changes coming. In fact, Labour’s ZEV mandate is the same.

What is a zero-emission vehicle?

Zero-emission vehicles include pure electric cars, more commonly known as battery electric vehicles (BEVs). But hydrogen fuel cell vehicles also count.

What happens if car manufacturers don’t meet the ZEV targets?

Bad news. Legally, car manufacturers need to meet a minimum market share of ZEV targets each year or otherwise face repercussions.

In fact, if electric car manufacturers don’t meet the threshold stated, then they will be subjected to extensive fines that can stretch as far as £15,000 per non-compliant car sale. For vans, there is a whopping £18,000 limit per vehicle.

Why have they introduced these fines? It’s hoped the drastic fines will help push forward electric car adoption in the UK, ensuring car manufacturers produce new car models and expand and electrify their portfolios.

But car manufacturers do have hail-mary loopholes to prevent the ludicrously priced fines. For one, car manufacturers can ‘bank’ any EV sales when they go over the target for the year and then use the credit later if they fall below the target in a different year. Plus, manufacturers that don’t meet the target can also purchase credit from their competitors who have exceeded the target. Presumably, at an inflated price, though.

Currently, the ZEV mandate for 2025 goal is 28%, an increase from the ZEV mandate for 2024 at 22%. However, on the surface, it seems car companies weren’t fined in 2024 for any target misses.

The ZEV mandate targets for vans and cars is different. Below are the targets for the ZEV mandate by year.

Annual UK ZEV mandate targets for cars:

Annual ZEV mandate targets for vans:

Why has the ZEV mandate been introduced?

Across the world, the UK’s ZEV mandate has proven to be the most ambitious framework in the effort to boost EV adoption. So why have they done this? Well, the UK ZEV mandate was created to help support the transition to electric vehicles, which, in turn, supports the UK’s higher, more important goal – of the UK becoming net zero by 2050. All of this then comes together to tackle climate change, slashing carbon emissions and drastically improving air quality in the United Kingdom.

Imagine it like dominos falling – the ZEV mandate helps the transition to electric, which helps cut carbon emissions to help tackle climate change.

Overall, the ZEV mandate is just one of the many steps from the government to help boost the electric revolution. Over £2 billion has been injected into the EV market and EV charging infrastructure, with several grants and incentives, including:

• Plug-in grant (although only for electric taxis, vans and motorbikes now)
• Grants for electric vehicle charging points (workplace charging scheme, on-street charging scheme)
• Local EV Infrastructure Fund (LEVI)
• Road tax exception
• Cheaper company car tax for electric cars
• ULEZ exemption

Will the ZEV mandate succeed?

Look out your window and watch the masses of green license plates driving by. The EV revolution is here and is to stay. Over 1,400,000 fully electric cars in the UK are circling about. Plus, EV sales are thriving, with petrol and diesel car sales down.

As a matter of fact, the most recent SMMT statistics show that petrol sales are down by 17.3% while BEV sales are shooting up by 41.7%%. In fact, 1 in 4 new car registrations is electric. So, the future is looking bright.

Already, certain car manufacturers are fully switched on when it comes to the electrification of the UK, having preemptively accelerated their own plans and targets to hit the 2030 deadline regardless. Let’s have a look at a few:

• Volvo shared plans to be fully electric by 2030 – before the ZEV mandate was made law
• ŠKODA has set their roadmap to electric by 2030
• BMW to have 50% fully electric cars by 2030
• Ford’s future includes 100% of passenger vehicles being all-electric by 2030. As well as plans to sell more than 600,000 electric vehicles in Europe by 2026.

With this in mind, we feel confident to say the ZEV mandate will succeed, with hopefully fines far and few between.

Are there any challenges?

Of course, with everything there are challenges – or, at the very least, perceived challenges.

For example, some manufacturers are yet to introduce electric cars into their portfolio. A few auto manufactures are staggering behind with petrol and diesel vehicles or perhaps the odd PHEV. One example is Seat, with no electric cars in their lineup as of yet.

On top of this, some companies are already struggling with the fines. It’s said that after not meeting their targets, Suzuki will have to buy credit from car competitors to avoid hefty fines, according to the Guardian.

But for the most part, car manufacturers seem to embracing the transition with open arms.

Summary:

• The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate was introduced on January 3, 2024, under Rishi Sunak’s conservative government.
• The mandate requires 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold to be zero-emission by 2030, rising to 100% by 2035.
• Targets will gradually increase each year until reaching 100% in 2035.
• ZEV mandate fines can reach up to £15,000 per non compliant car and £18,000 for non compliant vans.

Already made the switch, and looking to supercharge your EV charging costs?

Invest in an EV charger, and charge for as little as 7p per kWh with the right home charging set-up.

Ready to make the switch? As the experts in EV charging, we can install home, workplace and commercial EV chargers with our comprehensive solutions. All our DBS-checked, experienced and accredited EV charger specialists provide the highest level of customer service and standards, ensuring a stress-free process.

Contact us today for unbiased advice. Alternatively, get your free EV charger quote below. Choose from the best-selling EV chargers – from the state-of-the-art Ohme Home Pro to the neat and discreet British Gas Hive EV charger.