The British government is expected to cut its 2030 electric vehicle sales target by about a quarter, from 80% to around 60%, according to a report in the Guardian published on Sunday. The move would ease pressure on carmakers who say the current targets are out of step with demand.

The zero-emission vehicle mandate, introduced in 2024, requires manufacturers to ensure a rising share of their annual sales are zero-emission vehicles. The target stands at 33% of new car sales in 2026, rising to 80% in 2030 and 100% by 2035. Under the reported plan, the 2030 figure would fall to about 60%, while the flexibilities built into the mandate would be extended until 2034.

Louise Haigh, the de facto deputy prime minister, is expected to finalise the plan after a meeting in Downing Street on Wednesday, according to government sources cited by the Guardian. A government spokesperson said the government remained committed to the zero-emission vehicle mandate and that no decisions had been taken.

Why the target is under review

Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government set out a range of options in August that could ease pressure on carmakers as they switch new sales to zero-emission vehicles, launching a review of the existing targets that gradually phase out new petrol and diesel cars.

Carmakers have argued that supply chain disruption and insufficient consumer demand are making the mandate's requirements difficult to meet. Battery-electric vehicles accounted for 26.6% of new car sales so far this year, compared with the 33% target for 2026, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

The SMMT called last week for substantive changes to the mandate, including lowering the targets to better reflect demand. The industry body has warned that manufacturers face fines if they fall short of the mandated share of electric sales, even when buyers are not yet switching in the numbers the rules assume.

What happens next

If the reported plan is confirmed, it would be the second significant easing of the mandate since it was introduced, and it would reshape the path carmakers must follow over the rest of the decade. The 2035 end point, when all new cars sold must be zero emission, has not been reported as changing.

Any change would still need to be set out formally by ministers. Until then, the current targets remain in force, and carmakers are planning on that basis. The decision, when it comes, will be watched closely by manufacturers, dealers and charging firms, all of whom have built investment plans around the pace of the electric switch.

Source: Reuters