Industry group Electric Vehicles UK (EVUK) has today (20 November) called for the Government to resist pressure to dilute the effectiveness of its flagship ZEV Mandate.
EVUK, a coalition from across the EV industry – including car manufacturers such as Polestar, Volvo, Tesla, Chery, Omoda, Jaecoo, Changan – as well as energy providers, charging, finance and insurance companies like Octopus and OVO, are working together to drive demand for battery electric vehicles (BEVs) through consumer advocacy, information campaigns and enabling EV experiences through test-drive events across the UK.
The call to protect momentum around the UK’s EV targets comes amidst pre-Budget lobbying for it to be weakened for the second time in 2025.
Other potential Budget policy measures also risk undermining business certainty and economic opportunity, despite growing evidence of rising demand for BEVs, the group said.
With new battery EVs (BEVs) now regularly accounting for more than 25% of all UK car sales, used car sales trending strongly to BEVs, and regular driver surveys showing that more than 9 in 10 EV drivers will never revert to combustion vehicles, the UK is on the cusp of being a zero emissions vehicle leader, EVUK added.
But to realise its leadership potential, government policies must support, rather than impede, the progress made to date, it said.
EVUK’s alliance of carmakers and the wider industry, is also the foundation stone of its #CheaperBetterBatteryElectric campaign – an industry-funded programme to give consumers confidence, support test drive initiatives, and communicate the full economic, technological and environmental benefits of BEVs.
Matt Galvin, Managing Director, Polestar UK, said:
“The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate is a strong framework, which gives certainty and guidance to manufacturers to meet the 2030/35 deadline. Car companies have long product planning lifecycles and now is not the time to change the mandate, to which manufacturers have been planning for many years.
“Whilst weakening the framework is tempting due to mounting pressure from ICE manufacturers, a change in direction will be confusing to consumers who are now ready to seriously consider the switch, and potentially terminal to reaching the deadline.
“Most importantly, we now have the practical technology to remove tailpipe emissions on our roads, ultimately saving lives. EVs are already being accepted by consumers with 1 in 4 cars sold in October being Battery Electric, and with only 1-3% of people returning to fossil fuelled propulsion. With so much investment already committed to EVs by vehicle manufacturers and charging operators and with strong adoption now gaining momentum, holding our course now will deliver on our vital climate goals.”
Tanya Sinclair, CEO, Electric Vehicles UK, said:
“I’m delighted to lead this broad partnership of businesses from across the mobility sector. They come together for the first time to underscore how business-critical it is that our government makes consistent and ambitious policy for EVs. In the Budget and beyond, the enemy of business growth is policy instability.
“The rumours and unconfirmed plans around Motor Tax and the ZEV mandate need to be clarified once and for all, with the government backing UK industry to deliver an ambitious transition to electric vehicles. If the UK government gives us clarity of vision, we can give the UK driving public great EV products and services.”
Dan Caesar, Founder, Electric Vehicles UK, said:
“Tweaks to the ZEV Mandate earlier this year, have already been estimated to have cost up to 2 million battery EV sales (out of 6 million) by 2030, and the damage done to the embryonic EV sector has been substantial.
“To further dilute the targets, when industry as a whole is on track to meet them, and only because one or two legacy manufacturers have not heeded the inevitability of electrification, could be catastrophic for the industry, its adjacent sectors, and for the UK’s economic growth. Data shows ‘electrification’ is a global megatrend that the UK must take advantage of ahead of a generationally consequential general election in a few years time.”
Nic Thomas, UK Managing Director, Changan, said:
“Reinforcing the ZEV Mandate isn’t just about regulation; it’s a statement of intent about the kind of future we want to move towards, and it’s about making it easier for people to go electric. With more than 1.5 million fully electric vehicles already on UK roads, it’s clear that consumers are increasingly interested in EVs and are ready to make the switch to electric.
“But for adoption to continue they need it to feel easy, affordable, and accessible. We encourage continued investment in charging networks, especially destination and urban charging, to add further consumer confidence in the transition to EV.
“A strong and consistent mandate gives the entire EV industry the certainty to invest and innovate, which in turn helps bring more choice and better value to consumers. With the right support in the Budget, the UK can make switching to electric easier and more cost effective for consumers, and more economically advantageous for the industry and economy.”
Alex Tupman, CEO, 3ti:
“Joining Electric Vehicles UK as a member marks a pivotal step for 3ti in our mission to accelerate the UK’s transition to clean, efficient mobility. As we expand our infrastructure for EV charging, we are proud to align with EVUK’s vision of trusted insight, stronger industry collaboration and the real-world adoption of battery-electric vehicles. Together, we will help drive greater clarity, confidence and convenience for drivers and businesses alike.”
Alex Thwaites, Director of Electric Vehicles, OVO:
“Partnering with EV UK means standing behind a greener, more sustainable future. We support their work accelerating electric vehicle adoption by working together with partners, industry, and policy makers.”
Patrick Cresswell, CEO, ClearWatt, said:
“ClearWatt is building the category-defining platform for EV intelligence, combining battery health testing and market-leading data services.
“We are proud to be joining EVUK in championing transparency and accelerating the shift to electric, particularly as the second-hand market starts to gather pace.”
John Rainford, UK Country Manager, JOLT, said:
“EVUK’s mission to drive demand for battery electric vehicles by cutting through misinformation and building public confidence aligns perfectly with JOLT’s commitment to making electric driving accessible to everyone—no driver left behind.
“Through our partnership with EVUK, we’re looking forward to demonstrating how the right infrastructure, deployed in the right locations at the right price, can break down barriers to EV adoption and ensure the transition to electric transport is equitable, financially viable, and achievable for all drivers without access to home charging—particularly those in urban areas.”
Mike Seymour, Sales Manager, trueCharge, said:
“Joining EVUK marks an exciting step for trueCharge as we help shape the next chapter of EV infrastructure. Our vision is to make charging both practical and accessible, rooted in UK engineering and sustainability.
“Together with EVUK, we can champion cleaner mobility and build a network that works for communities today and for generations to come.”
