Mandate for new cars and vans to be zero emission by 2035 is now law

The UK has now established itself as the global leader in electric vehicle (EV) regulatory frameworks, with the introduction of new legislation effective from today (3 January 2024). This mandate, developed after comprehensive consultations with industry stakeholders and manufacturers, provides the much-needed assurance they sought to protect skilled British jobs.

Technology and Decarbonisation Minister Anthony Browne is marking this significant step by visiting a new bp pulse hub in London, where he will experience their ultra-fast EV chargers and interact with drivers who are benefiting from this facility.

The zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate specifies the annual percentage of new zero emission cars and vans that manufacturers are required to produce leading up to 2030. Under this mandate, 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold in Great Britain will be zero emission by 2030, increasing to 100% by 2035.

This development follows the pragmatic decision made by the Prime Minister to postpone the ban on new diesel and petrol cars from 2030 to 2035, aligning the UK with other major economies such as France, Germany, Sweden, and Canada. This delay allows more time for consumers to transition to electric vehicles and for the enhancement of the charging infrastructure.

The UK has surpassed its carbon budget targets to date, reducing greenhouse gas emissions by nearly 50% since 1990. According to the Climate Change Committee, this measured approach has not significantly impacted the UK's progress in reducing emissions. Moreover, it provides households with more time to transition to electric vehicles, which is particularly beneficial given the current high cost of living.

Technology and Decarbonisation Minister Anthony Browne said: "Alongside us having spent more than £2 billion in the transition to electric vehicles, our zero emission vehicle mandate will further boost the economy and support manufacturers to safeguard skilled British jobs in the automotive industry.

"We are providing investment certainty for the charging sector to expand our charging network which has already grown by 44% since this time last year. This will support the constantly growing number of EVs in the UK, which currently account for over 16% of the new UK car market."

In addition to supporting the economy, the new laws will help households transition to electric vehicles, fostering the growth of EV sales in the second-hand market and incentivizing wider deployment of charging facilities across the country.

The government's schemes to reduce the costs of owning an EV include the plug-in van grant, offering up to £2,500 for small vans and £5,000 for large vans until at least 2025, and a £350 discount on homeplace chargepoints for residents in flats.

Recent statistics show a 41% increase in zero emission vehicles registered for the first time. The UK’s charging network is rapidly expanding, with over 50,000 public chargepoints available – a 44% increase from the previous year, keeping the country on track to reach 300,000 chargepoints by 2030. The ZEV mandate provides the industry with renewed confidence to invest in the UK’s infrastructure.

Last month, the UK and EU agreed to extend trade rules on electric vehicles, which is expected to save manufacturers and consumers up to £4.3 billion in additional costs, providing long-term certainty for the industry.

Akira Kirton, Vice President, bp pulse UK, said: "We are pleased to host the minister at our most powerful EV charging hub in central London to mark the start of the ZEV mandate.

"This mandate instils confidence in our strategy, reaffirming our plans to invest £1 billion over 10 years to continue to develop hundreds of EV charging hubs across the country by 2030 to bolster the UK’s charging infrastructure."

Andrew Brem, General Manager of Uber UK, commented: "London is Uber’s top city for EVs worldwide, with well over 10,000 electric vehicles on the platform in the capital. However, the availability and up-front cost of EVs can still be a barrier for many drivers.

"The ZEV mandate coming into force is a significant moment which will help to drive down the costs of EVs and increase supply – accelerating the uptake of EVs over the next decade."

The government is also committed to supporting the rollout of EV infrastructure, including assessing applications for the first round of the £381 million Local EV Infrastructure Fund. This funding aims to deliver tens of thousands more chargepoints in local areas across England, transforming the availability of charging for drivers without off-street parking. Additionally, a £70 million pilot has been launched to support the deployment of ultra-rapid charging points at motorway service areas.

However, a recent study by RAC, revealed that the Government’s motorway electric car charge point target was missed.

Daniel Auger IEEE senior member and Reader in Electrification, Automation and Control at Cranfield University welcomes this announcement, but argues that the challenges faced by EV rollout are multi-faceted: “People are now more optimistic about the possibilities of electric vehicles (EV). A few years ago, there was a lot of enthusiasm and ambition at the start, now people have a better understanding of what is actually possible and how quickly the technology can indeed mature – there’s still a lot of work going on behind the scenes. Whilst the industry welcomes the government’s new plans, there are many things to take into consideration. As it stands, we do have the right technology for energy storage, in fact the range of technologies we can use is broader than that.

“However, one of the biggest challenges facing the EV market is distribution and scaling up production. Charging stations need to be spread evenly throughout our cities; consumers should be able to charge conveniently, and more importantly, they need access to a fast charge. We also need to understand how to re-use, recycle and dispose of used batteries safely and efficiently. Lithium-ion batteries may prove helpful given their high technology readiness level. However, this will take time and will naturally require further investment if this new approach is to work.

“Research teams are now developing new battery materials and components of cells, and understanding the fundamentals of how they work and what makes them degrade. Others are focusing on modelling and managing batteries’ behaviour in use, predicting their future performance, and ensuring that we are using them in the best possible way. It’s also important to understand how cells behave together in a pack and ensure that they stay in a temperature range that promotes good longevity. Recycling and working with part-aged batteries will become increasingly important.”