The majority of the British public want the EV transition to keep its current pace or speed up, while only 37% want it to slow down, new research has shown.
The new research from YouGov, commissioned by ChargeUK, comes as pressure is being placed on new Prime Minister Andy Burnham to revise the ZEV Mandate targets again – the third potential review of the policy in three years.
But crucially the public wants the UK Government to continue on its current pathway. The new survey showed that 34% said that the pace is about right and 19% that it should be sped up. 11% said they did not know.
Voters
For those who voted for Keir Starmer and the Labour Party in 2024, the figures were even starker with 27% believing it should be sped up and 41% saying the pace of the transition was right. Only 21% of that cohort wanted a slowdown.
In addition 68% of Lib Dem voters supported the same pace or a faster switch. Unsurprisingly, half of Green Party voters wanted a quicker transition (46%).
Particularly noteworthy was the impact of a change on young voters. Slowing the EV transition could particularly harm the Labour government’s popularity in this age tracker, as more than a third (36%) of 18 to 24 year olds support speeding up transport electrification.
Jarrod Birch, head of policy and public affairs, ChargeUK said:
“The British public is supportive of cleaner, cheaper driving — Labour voters especially. So, if Andy Burnham wants to deliver a voter-backed win for people’s pockets whilst reducing the country’s reliance on foreign oil, he need look no further than committing to an ironclad ZEV Mandate.
“Combined with action to address the policies unnecessarily pushing up the costs of public EV charging, this would ensure even more drivers can enjoy the significant savings from electric driving — on top of the nearly four and a half million EV drivers who are already reaping the benefits.”
Perran Moon, Labour MP for Camborne and Redruth and Chair of the Electric Vehicle APPG (All-Party Parliamentary Group) said:
“This report highlights the significant political risks of diluting the ZEV mandate. It is clear that the Government only has ears for legacy manufacturers that have failed to invest adequately in the EV transition but is not listening the EV supply chain — from UK lithium mining, to UK battery production and then the UK charge point operators who are today investing billions into the infrastructure needed to support the transition.
“The irony of all of this is that over than 77% of all cars manufactured in the UK are not even subject to the UK ZEV mandate as they are exported! But we all know that the real reason for their lobbying of Government is to ultimately delay the banning of new petrol and diesel vehicles from 2030 — which was a manifesto commitment. The dilution of the ZEV mandate should be resisted by Government.”
Gurjeet Grewal, CEO of Octopus Electric Vehicles, said:
“The message from the public is clear: they don’t want the UK to slam the brakes on the EV transition. Crucially, among younger people – who will live with the consequences longest – a third want to see it go faster.
“There is real demand for electric cars, and the industry is responding. What drivers need now is certainty, not mixed messages. The Government has a chance to give drivers and manufacturers a clear direction of travel and back the transition, rather than risk confusing people by constantly moving the goalposts.”
Image courtesy of Green Car Guide
