The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate
1. Introduction to the Policy
The Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate is a regulatory framework introduced by the UK Government under the Zero Emission Vehicles, Infrastructure and Charging (ZEVIC) Act, coming into effect in 2024. It is one of the most significant transport decarbonisation policies in UK history, designed to phase out new petrol and diesel car sales entirely by 2035.
Unlike voluntary targets or financial incentives, the ZEV Mandate is a legal obligation placed directly on vehicle manufacturers and importers. It is a supply-side policy — it does not directly subsidise consumers, but instead forces manufacturers to change what they produce and sell.
2. How the Mandate Works
Each year, manufacturers must ensure that a minimum percentage of their new car and van sales in the UK are zero emission vehicles (ZEVs) — primarily battery electric vehicles (BEVs).
Car targets under the ZEV Mandate:
| Year | Minimum ZEV Sales (%) |
|---|---|
| 2024 | 22% |
| 2025 | 28% |
| 2026 | 33% |
| 2028 | 50% |
| 2030 | 80% |
| 2035 | 100% |
Manufacturers who fail to meet their targets face fines of £15,000 per vehicle that falls short of the required ZEV percentage. However, there is a “flexing” mechanism — manufacturers can borrow from future years’ allowances or trade ZEV credits with other manufacturers.
3. Policy Context and Background
The ZEV Mandate sits within a broader set of UK climate commitments:
- The Climate Change Act 2008 set legally binding carbon reduction targets
- The UK’s Net Zero Strategy (2021) committed to net zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
- Transport is the largest single source of UK greenhouse gas emissions, accounting for approximately 26% of total emissions (DESNZ, 2023)
- Road transport alone makes up around 91% of transport emissions
The original ban on new petrol and diesel car sales was set for 2030 under Boris Johnson’s government. This was controversially pushed back to 2035 by Rishi Sunak in September 2023, though the ZEV Mandate annual targets remained in place.
4. Who Does It Affect?
Manufacturers: Large manufacturers such as Volkswagen Group, Stellantis, Ford, and Toyota must comply or face significant fines. This creates a strong commercial incentive to accelerate EV production and shift marketing efforts toward electric models.
Consumers: The mandate indirectly affects consumers by increasing the supply and variety of EVs available. However, critics argue that without demand-side support (such as purchase subsidies, which the UK removed in 2022), consumer uptake may lag behind what manufacturers are required to sell.
Charging Infrastructure: The mandate creates pressure to expand the UK’s public charging network. As of 2024, the UK had approximately 60,000 public charge points, though coverage remains uneven — particularly in rural areas.
5. Criticisms and Challenges
Industry pushback: Several manufacturers, including Ford and Stellantis, publicly warned in 2023 that the 2024 targets were too aggressive given current consumer demand levels. There were calls to soften the mandate.
Affordability gap: The average price of a new electric car in the UK in 2024 remained significantly higher than its petrol equivalent, limiting demand particularly among lower-income buyers.
Used car market: The mandate only covers new vehicle sales. The majority of UK drivers purchase used cars, meaning the impact on total fleet emissions will take considerably longer to materialise.
Grid capacity: Widespread EV adoption requires substantial upgrades to the electricity grid — both generation capacity and distribution infrastructure.
6. Data Analysis
See the ZEV Data Analysis page for charts and findings based on DVLA and DfT registration data.
Sources: DfT (2024), DESNZ (2023), SMMT (2024)