The UK government is poised to weaken its 2030 electric vehicle sales targets, with ministers expected to consult on reducing the mandated share of pure battery-powered cars from 80% to 50% of all new sales by the end of the decade, according to government sources.
The proposed change would mark a significant softening of the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, first introduced by the Conservative government in 2023, while still maintaining the existing ban on new purely petrol or diesel cars from 2030. Under the new plans, the remaining 50% of sales would be made up of hybrid vehicles — cars that combine a petrol engine with a small battery. The government’s separate 2035 deadline for phasing out new hybrid cars is understood to remain in place.
This would be the second time the Labour government has relaxed the rules since taking office. Ministers previously tweaked the mandate last year to allow prolonged sales of plug-in hybrid cars — a move that campaigners warned would significantly drive up emissions. Plug-in hybrids currently account for just under 14% of UK car sales. The government had already committed to a review of the mandate in 2027, but is now set to bring that forward after intense lobbying by the car industry and unions.
Industry pressure and job fears
The automotive sector and trade unions had warned that the current trajectory risked penalising manufacturers and putting jobs on the line. The Unite union, which has campaigned for a review of the targets, estimated that manufacturers could face fines of up to £11,000 per vehicle if they fail to meet the annually rising EV sales quotas — a prospect that Unite argued could force some companies to stop selling cars altogether, threatening the UK’s automotive workforce. Unite’s general secretary, Sharon Graham, described the reported change as a “huge victory” for car workers, saying the failure to act would have been “an act of self-harm to a sector which is a jewel in the crown of UK manufacturing.” She called for the consultation to be swiftly concluded and its findings quickly implemented to provide “much-needed certainty.”
The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has also been pressing for an urgent review. Its chief executive, Mike Hawes, has argued that the assumptions underpinning the ZEV mandate no longer hold true, pointing to higher battery costs, increased energy prices, and lower-than-expected consumer demand. The SMMT believes the current targets risk “deindustrialisation.” The industry body declined to comment on the latest reports.
Electric vehicle sales are steadily rising but continue to lag behind the mandate’s annual milestones. In May 2026, battery electric vehicles accounted for 27.3% of new UK car registrations, below the 33% target set for that year. However, the mandate includes “flexibilities” — such as allowing manufacturers to offset emissions from petrol and diesel sales, borrow credits from future years, and purchase credits from other companies — which have been added after past industry lobbying. Some analysis suggests that when these flexibilities are accounted for, the effective target for 2026 drops to around 24.6%, meaning the industry actually “over-complied” in 2024. In 2025, BEVs made up 23.4% of new car sales, falling short of the 28% target.
Investor concerns over charging infrastructure
While unions and carmakers celebrated the prospect of weaker targets, businesses in the electric vehicle charging sector reacted with dismay, warning that any dilution of the mandate would undermine the investment needed to build out the UK’s charging network. The government has yet to disburse £950 million in funding committed in 2020 for charging infrastructure, according to the Department for Transport.
James Alexander, chief executive of the UK Sustainable Investment and Finance Association (UKSIF), said investors had been “absolutely clear that the ZEV mandate is vital for driving investment into our charging infrastructure.” He warned that watering down the targets could “send warning signals about the government’s long-term commitment to electrifying our transport network.”
Vicky Read, chief executive of ChargeUK, which represents charging companies, said it was “astonishing” that Prime Minister Keir Starmer would consider weakening the mandate again. She cautioned that the move would “slam the brakes on infrastructure rollout and send the entire transition into a tailspin.” A report by LCP Delta, cited in the research, estimated that a stable ZEV mandate could contribute £15.5 billion directly to the UK economy by 2035 and £385 billion to wider transport electrification.
The Transport & Environment think tank warned that industry lobbying for weaker mandates could backfire in the long term. The T&E UK director, Anna Krajinska, said: “This policy is what’s driving billions in investment – from manufacturers to EV charging – to future-proof the auto industry as global markets go electric. Pulling back again now would send a clear signal that the UK is not serious about competing in the global EV race or having an auto industry.”
There are currently over 75,000 public charging points across the UK, with numbers growing year-on-year, though concerns remain about their even distribution. Meanwhile, projections suggest that by 2027 the ZEV mandate could bring more than a dozen new EV models priced at £23,000 or less to the UK market, and home charging is expected to cost about half that of an equivalent petrol vehicle.
The political battle over the mandate has reportedly divided the cabinet. According to the Sunday Times, Prime Minister Keir Starmer has opted to back Business Secretary Peter Kyle in weakening the mandate, rather than sticking to net-zero targets as urged by Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. The EU and UK car industries are also pressing the European Commission to adjust the Brexit trade deal and suspend tariffs on EV imports, citing difficulties in meeting “rules of origin” requirements for battery production. Chinese brands such as BYD are meanwhile gaining significant market share in the UK’s EV sector.
