Prime Minister Keir Starmer is poised to overrule energy secretary Ed Miliband regarding the United Kingdom's electric vehicle (EV) sales targets, according to reports in The Sunday Times. Following pressure from the automotive industry, the Unite union, and business secretary Peter Kyle, Starmer will water down the existing EV policy.
Government Mandate and Targets
An official announcement on the changes is expected in the coming weeks, confirming whether the Labour government plans to slow the pace of the UK's transition to electric cars. The current government mandate insists that 100% of new cars and vans must be zero-emission by 2035. To achieve this, manufacturers face strict annual EV sales quotas enforced by the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, and the government aims for a minimum of 300,000 public chargepoints by 2030.
Industry and Union Reactions
Sharon Graham, general secretary of Unite, previously stated that the “targets must be radically reduced,” warning that the current targets “will be responsible for the decimation of the automotive industry.” However, James Alexander, chief executive of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF), argued that “investors in the UK have been absolutely clear that the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate is vital for driving investment into our charging infrastructure.” He added that “any attempt to water down these targets could send warning signals to these investors about the government’s long-term commitment to electrifying our transport network,” potentially threatening future financing for charging infrastructure.
ChargeUK's Response
Vicky Read, chief executive of ChargeUK, responded to the reports, stating: “That the Prime Minister is considering weakening the key policy underpinning the £385 billion economic opportunity from transport electrification is astonishing. Weakening the ZEV Mandate for a third time would not only slam the brakes on infrastructure rollout and send the entire transition into a tailspin. It would bring Britain’s entire reputation as a market worth investing in into disrepute.” She emphasised that the charging sector has invested billions in chargers based on this policy, ahead of profitability, and that the mandate supports 71,000 jobs by 2035, with potential for 334,000 across the automotive sector. “This government said it would not flip flop like the previous did. To move the goalposts again would be exactly that — an act of self-harm denying the country a forward facing, economically prosperous industry leaving us behind the rest of the world,” she concluded.
