Britain is preparing to scale down its EV sales requirements, with a formal consultation underway on what a new 2030 share should look like. Current targets state that 80% of new car sales must be electric by 2030, but a revised figure somewhere between 50% and 70% is being considered. Reaching a final number is expected to take several months.
The policy traces back to 2020 when Boris Johnson announced plans to end sales of new fossil-fuel cars from that year. Rishi Sunak moved that deadline to 2035 and introduced a phased annual framework called the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate. Under Sunak’s mandate, the required EV share rises annually from 28% in 2025 to 33% in 2026, climbing to 80% by 2030.
Labor backed the 2030 deadline, but manufacturers pushed for an early review, and government talks with car makers are set for this week. Automakers and trade unions have spent years lobbying for cuts, citing the financial strain of meeting EV quotas in a weak consumer market.
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) said the industry’s discount bill exceeded $12.7 billion over a two-year period. Businesses that miss their quota face a $19,000 per-vehicle charge and can offset it by purchasing credits from competitors who exceeded their target.
The SMMT warned that absent a policy change, companies would absorb the fallout through workforce cuts, reduced investment, and business failures.
Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, said doing nothing about the mandate would harm one of the UK’s most strategically significant manufacturing industries. On the demand side, buyer hesitancy over driving range and scarce public charging has also dragged EV resale values below expectations.
Conservatives have been accused by the Labor Party of repeatedly moving the goalposts on the timing of UK’s EV phase in, and no plans have been announced to alter the fine and credit structure that underpins mandate compliance.
The UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association warned that reducing the mandate would deter private capital from investing in charging networks. Alexander said the mandate had provided investors with the assurance they needed to channel large sums into charging infrastructure nationwide. He added that any revision would undermine investor confidence in the government’s willingness to follow through on electrification.
New car registrations in 2025 reached 2,020,373, marking a third straight year of expansion and the strongest result since before the pandemic. EVs represented 473,340 of those registrations, or 23.4% of the market. While the figure was up considerably on 2024, it remained below the mandate’s 28% requirement for that year.
Second-hand sales reached 7.8 million in 2025 and also fall outside the mandate. The gap between actual EV sales and the mandate target illustrates how far consumer demand still lags behind policy ambitions.
How the government strikes a balance between pushing for faster electrification amid existing industry challenges will influence whether international entities like Massimo Group (NASDAQ: MAMO) expand their operations into the UK to serve customers in need of models that differ from what is currently available.
About GreenCarStocks
GreenCarStocks (“GCS”) is a specialized communications platform with a focus on electric vehicles (“EVs”) and the green energy sector. It is one of 75+ brands within the Dynamic Brand Portfolio @ IBN that delivers: (1) access to a vast network of wire solutions via InvestorWire to efficiently and effectively reach a myriad of target markets, demographics and diverse industries; (2) article and editorial syndication to 5,000+ outlets; (3) enhanced press release enhancement to ensure maximum impact; (4) social media distribution via IBN to millions of social media followers; and (5) a full array of tailored corporate communications solutions. With broad reach and a seasoned team of contributing journalists and writers, GCS is uniquely positioned to best serve private and public companies that want to reach a wide audience of investors, influencers, consumers, journalists and the general public. By cutting through the overload of information in today’s market, GCS brings its clients unparalleled recognition and brand awareness. GCS is where breaking news, insightful content and actionable information converge.
To receive SMS alerts from GreenCarStocks, text “Green” to 888-902-4192 (U.S. Mobile Phones Only)
For more information, please visit https://www.GreenCarStocks.com
Please see full terms of use and disclaimers on the GreenCarStocks website applicable to all content provided by GCS, wherever published or re-published: https://www.GreenCarStocks.com/Disclaimer
GreenCarStocks
Austin, Texas
www.GreenCarStocks.com
512.354.7000 Office
[email protected]
GreenCarStocks is powered by IBN
