UK to bring forward review of EV sales targets from 2027 to next year | Automotive industry
The UK will bring forward its review of electric vehicle sales targets from 2027 to next year, with the government saying it will listen to the car industry’s concerns.
The news came as ministers said they would not weaken plans to ban the sale of new petrol or diesel cars from 2035, after the EU announced plans to water down the timetable for phasing out new combustion engine vehicles.
The government announced in April that it would weaken its zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate – which was introduced to force carmakers to sell more electric cars each year or face hefty fines – after lobbying from the auto industry.
Carmakers had argued the rules were economically unsustainable, leading the UK to introduce “flexibilities”, with more credits for the sale of hybrids.
“The review of the ZEV mandate starts next year… and of course we want to complete that review as quickly as possible,” Industry Minister Chris McDonald told the Financial Times.
Referring to the rule changes introduced in the spring, McDonald said: “We have to be responsible to the industry, and we also have to be sensitive to the market situation. »
McDonald’s confirmation of the review’s rescheduling came as it visited the Nissan factory in Sunderland, where the Japanese carmaker has started production of its latest electric car.
The launch of the third generation of the Leaf, which was the first mainstream battery electric car built in the UK, is seen as a crucial step in the UK car industry’s transition away from petrol and diesel.
Nissan has already produced more than 280,000 Leaf models at its plant in the north-east of England, which is Britain’s largest car factory.
Electric car sales have grown rapidly in recent years and accounted for more than a fifth of the UK market in July.
However, automakers have previously overestimated demand for electric vehicles, meaning they have had to lower prices in order to attract buyers.
The EU confirmed on Tuesday that it will no longer require car manufacturers to guarantee that 100% of cars and vans produced will have zero emissions from 2035.
After strong pressure from the auto industry and the leaders of several EU member states, including Germany and Italy, the European Commission has promised to reduce this requirement to 90%. This will allow 10% of production after 2035 to consist of plug-in hybrid electric cars, or even vehicles with pure thermal engines.
As part of a compromise with the industry, carmakers will have to compensate with other green measures in factories, including the use of green steel made in Europe or the use of biofuels in non-electric vehicles.
