The UK Government is preparing to review how quickly car makers must shift towards electric vehicle sales.
Under the current Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, 80% of all new cars sold in the UK must be electric by 2030. That target rises gradually each year, from 28% in 2025 to 33% in 2026, before reaching 80% at the end of the decade.
However, car manufacturers and trade unions have urged ministers to ease the rules, warning that the current timetable could put pressure on costs, production and jobs. Sustainability groups have argued that weakening the mandate would damage the UK’s climate ambitions and slow long-term progress towards electrification.
The Government is expected to consult on a revised 2030 target, with options reportedly ranging from 50% to 70%. A final decision could take several months.
UK policy on petrol, diesel and electric cars has shifted several times. Boris Johnson first announced a 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars in 2020. Rishi Sunak later moved that deadline to 2035 while introducing the phased ZEV mandate. Labour has pledged to restore the 2030 ban.
Carmakers that miss their ZEV targets can be fined £15,000 for each non-compliant car, although they can also buy credits from rivals that exceed their targets. That system is not expected to change.
In 2025, 2,020,373 new cars were registered in the UK, with electric cars accounting for 473,340 registrations, or 23.4%, below the 28% mandate target.
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