The UK government has initiated a formal review of its electric vehicle (EV) sales targets, signaling a potential shift in policy following sustained pressure from automotive manufacturers. While the current ZEV mandate requires 80% of all new car sales to be electric by 2030, officials are now consulting on a proposal to reduce that threshold to as low as 50%.
Industry leaders have long argued that the existing trajectory is overly ambitious, warning that the current pace of transition could impose excessive costs and jeopardize manufacturing jobs. The consultation process regarding these potential adjustments is scheduled to remain open until late October.
Under the existing ZEV mandate, the required percentage of new EV sales is set to rise annually, beginning at 33% for 2026 and climbing toward the 80% goal by the end of the decade. If the government opts to lower the pure electric target to 50%, the remaining 50% of new vehicle sales would be required to be hybrids.
Another alternative under consideration involves maintaining the 80% target but introducing greater flexibility for manufacturers, potentially extending the transition period until 2034. Despite these discussions, the government confirmed that the broader ban on the sale of new, purely petrol or diesel vehicles after 2030 remains in effect, fulfilling a key Labour election manifesto pledge. A separate deadline for phasing out new hybrid sales by 2035 also remains unchanged.
The history of this policy has been marked by significant volatility. Originally, a 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel cars was introduced under Boris Johnson, only to be delayed to 2035 by his successor, Rishi Sunak. Mr. Sunak also implemented the current, more gradual ZEV mandate. Labour, while currently in power, previously criticized the Conservative administration for “moving goalposts on phase out dates.”
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander defended the current review on Friday, stating, “It’s right we keep targets under review to ensure they’re practical and back British industry.” She added that while the end goal remains the same, the government aims to ensure the industry is supported throughout the transition.
Mike Hawes, who leads the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, welcomed the review as a “timely opportunity to adjust the transition so it works for all,” noting that the original mandate was developed under vastly different economic conditions.
However, the proposal has faced sharp criticism from environmental advocates and industry figures focused on electrification. Tanya Sinclair, head of Electric Vehicles UK, questioned the logic of “extending the availability of polluting vehicles amid our hottest summer on record.”
Gurjeet Grewal, chief of Octopus Electric Vehicles, warned that weakening the mandate sends “exactly the wrong signal” at a time when EVs are becoming increasingly competitive in value. Similarly, the Green Alliance cautioned that reducing these targets would “lock in avoidable emissions while undermining the certainty manufacturers need to invest” in the future of the automotive sector.
Currently 80% of all new cars sold must be EVs by 2030 – but motor industry figures had urged ministers to reduce that goal, warning it would cost too much and put jobs at risk.
The government has now said it is considering cutting that figure to as far as 50% of all sales by the end of the decade, which it will consult on until late October.
An outright ban on selling purely petrol or diesel cars past 2030 will stay in place, something that Labour promised in its election manifesto.
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