The government has launched its consultation on the (ZEV) mandate and its effectiveness in the UK. Dealers have until close of play 23 October 2026 to make their views known.
It wants to find out whether the ZEV Mandate deliver the transition to zero emissions vehicles (ZEVs), while supporting consumers, industry and the UK’s wider decarbonisation objectives.
The response from the sector was positive. The National Franchised Dealers Association said the move was “timely”.
“The industry has made significant progress in increasing the availability and choice of electric vehicles, but the market must remain commercially sustainable.
“The results from the consultation need to ensure consumers have the choice and affordability needed to make the transition.
“Franchised retailers are playing a vital role in this process and have a clear understanding of the opportunities and challenges facing customers.”
The IMI said its own research shoed that the automotive workforce has serious doubts about whether it can keep pace based on the current targets.
IMI CEO Nick Connor said: “The destination remains clear, but what everyone needs – from manufacturers to frontline dealers and garages and, of course, motorists – is absolute clarity on the pace and pathway to get there.
“The constant uncertainty has done nothing to motivate businesses to commit to the essential upskilling that is needed to provide motorists with confidence that when they make the switch, they will be able to find a garage that can work on their vehicle safely and efficiently.”
But there are a wide spread of opinions n the issue. Gurjeet Grewal, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles, said: “The ZEV mandate is working – giving manufacturers confidence to invest and drivers confidence to switch. Weakening it now would send exactly the wrong signal, just as EVs are becoming some of the best-value cars on the road.
“Carbon Brief estimates weaker targets could cost consumers £3bn a year in expensive petrol by 2030. We should be accelerating the transition, not creating another policy wobble that leaves drivers, businesses and the UK economy paying the price.”
EVA England CEO Vicky Edmonds, argued for incentives to drive EV demand.
“The Government should look honestly at why EV demand has not grown as quickly as expected. But the answer is not to lower the ambition of the ZEV mandate – which has been absolutely critical for creating a market of EVs that people want to buy. It has to be to fix the things that are stopping drivers from making the switch.
“Our members and surveys show that there is still significant untapped demand for electric vehicles, but drivers need a better deal. That means targeting incentives where they will make the biggest difference, tackling the unfair premium paid by people who rely on public charging, and making sure the charging network is reliable, simple and convenient to use. A chargepoint that does not work when a driver needs it might as well not be there.”
