19 October 2021
The Government has confirmed that it plans to introduce a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate which will mean that vehicle manufacturers will have to sell a certain percentage of zero emission cars and vans from 2024.
Announced with the Net Zero Strategy, the ZEV mandate will support plans for the 2030/5 phase-out of ICE vehicles. The Government plans to publish a further consultation in early 2022 which will focus on the design of the ZEV mandate (including uptake trajectories) and how and when targets will be set and enforced.
SMMT chief executive, Mike Hawes, said: “A well-designed, flexible regulatory framework could help maintain or even increase this pace to ensure we deliver on our shared decarbonisation ambitions.”
Greg Archer, UK director Transport & Environment, commented that the mandate “will give clarity and certainty on how many EVs will be on the roads in coming years – we can plan for how many charge points are needed, how many mechanics to train for electric cars. It’s a good step in the right direction.”
The ZEV mandate, which was approved in principle in a public consultation, will complement the existing system of giving car firms a fleet-average CO2 emissions target. Autocar reports that it’s understood the Government has considered that system was reliant on WLTP fuel economy figures that don’t always reflect real-world usage.
