UK industry asked to shape transition to zero-emission vehicles

The Government has invited the UK automotive and charging industries to shape the UK’s transition to zero-emission vehicles. On Tuesday, 24 December, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander launched a consultation to ask industry views on the 2030 phase-out date for new purely gasoline and diesel cars and make the transition to zero-emission vehicles a success.

The 2030 phase-out date was broadly supported by industry before the previous UK Government extended it to 2035. Currently, more than two-thirds of car manufacturers in the UK, including Nissan and Stellantis, have already committed to fully transitioning to electric cars by 2030.

Consultation

“Today’s consultation will restore clarity for vehicle manufacturers and the charging industry so that they have the confidence to invest in the UK in the long-term and drive growth in the UK automotive industry,” says the governmental press release.

The consultation proposes updates to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate, which is the joint responsibility of the UK Government, the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland, the Scottish Government, and the Welsh Government. The mandate sets out the percentage of new zero-emission cars and vans that manufacturers must sell each year up to 2030.

“To support manufacturers in the transition, the ZEV Mandate already features a range of flexibilities to help the industry comply in a way that makes sense for them and the wider market, including selling fewer zero-emission vehicles than the headline target if they make up for it in other ways. The consultation explores the design of the flexibilities to ensure they continue to support manufacturers.”

“This consultation is focused on how, not if, we reach the 2030 target. It will allow the sector to consider how the current arrangements and flexibilities are working, which hybrid cars can be sold alongside zero emission models between 2030 and 2035, and any further support measures to help make the transition a success for industry and consumers,” the governmental release clearly states.

“Employing 152,000 people and adding £19 billion to our economy, the UK’s automotive industry is a huge asset to our nation, and the transition to electric is an unprecedented opportunity to attract investment, harness British innovation, and deliver growth for generations to come,” says Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander. “Yet over the last few years, our automotive industry has been stifled by a lack of certainty and direction. This Government will change that.”

“Drivers are embracing EVs faster than ever, with one in four new cars sold in November electric. Today’s measures will help us capitalize on the clean energy transition to support thousands of jobs, make the UK a clean energy superpower, and rebuild Britain,” she adds.

“This government is backing the auto sector with £2 billion to support our domestic manufacturers in transitioning to zero-emission vehicles and over £300 million to drive consumer uptake,” adds Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds.

Easier and cheaper

“Today’s consultation is part of a wider push to make it easier and cheaper for drivers to charge their electric cars. It follows over £2.3 billion investment from the UK Government to support domestic manufacturers and consumers switch to EVs.”

“With 56 public chargers added on average to the network every day in 2024, 24/7 helplines, and up-to-date charge point locations, it’s never been easier for drivers to charge their EVs. They can now rely on more than 72,000 public chargers across the UK, alongside £6 billion of private investment by 2030 to roll out our charge point network at pace.”

Charging infrastructure will continue to match the rising sales of EVs, with another 100,000 chargers planned by local authorities all across England under the Government’s Local EV Infrastructure Fund alone.

According to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), one in four new cars sold this November was an EV, a 58% increase from November 2023. EV owners also see the benefits, as 97% of electric car drivers say they do not want to return to gasoline and diesel cars, more than in any other European country.

“Accelerating the transition to electric vehicles will drive forward our clean energy superpower mission and bring huge economic opportunities,” says UK Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. “It will help drivers access cars that are cheaper to run, cut air pollution in our cities and towns, back British manufacturers, and provide highly-skilled jobs in emerging industries.”

Governmental measures

The UK government also unveiled a series of measures to continue improving charging infrastructure, tackling barriers to EV take-up, and driving forward this transition. The new measures include a separate consultation on whether it can reduce barriers to rolling out more zero-emission vans. “This is crucial to helping decarbonize the freight and delivery sectors more quickly.”

“The UK government will also change planning legislation to provide additional flexibility in England through permitted development rights when installing off-street electric vehicle charge points. We will also amend legislation to allow charge point installers to use street works permits instead of licenses to make it easier and quicker to install chargers.”

The review results will also be published on improving grid connections for charge points and increasing cohesion, cooperation, and communication across the industry. Local councils will continue to be supported in their charging projects with resources and new guidance.

“The transition to electric is an unprecedented opportunity to attract investment, harness British ingenuity, and deliver growth for future generations. The UK Government wants to work in partnership with industry to ensure that our transition approach supports a thriving UK automotive sector now and for years to come,” the press release concludes.