The UK Government has launched a fresh review of the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, the system that requires carmakers to sell an increasing proportion of electric cars and vans each year.

The important bit is that the Government says its ultimate deadlines remain unchanged. That means new, fully petrol and diesel cars are still due to be phased out by 2030, while all new cars and vans are expected to be zero emission by 2035.

What is now being debated is how quickly manufacturers need to increase that share of electric vehicles on the way there.

Time for a recap. What is the ZEV mandate?

The ZEV mandate requires carmakers to sell a minimum proportion of zero-emission new cars. For 2026, the headline target is 33%, but under the current rules, that ratchets up to 80% by 2030 and 100% by 2035. That said, carmakers can use a range of flexibilities, including trading credits, to meet these targets.

Having this long-term view from Government encourages manufacturers to invest in electric technology, gives EV charging companies like GRIDSERVE the confidence to invest in superfast charging infrastructure and, ultimately, gives consumers the confidence to switch to electric.

Why is the Government reviewing it?

The review had been expected by 2027, but the Department for Transport says that bringing it forward reflects a changing global economic environment, including supply-chain disruption and uncertainty around tariffs and trade. It wants to make sure the ZEV mandate remains “pro-business and grounded in the real world”.

There has also been sustained pressure from parts of the automotive industry, which argues that the current trajectory is moving faster than underlying consumer demand.

The counterargument is that this is rather the point of the mandate. If manufacturers waited for demand to magically appear before investing in electric cars, we’d probably still be waiting for the first one. Dr Andy Palmer, the revered automotive boss who oversaw the launch of the fully-electric Leaf, has also accused some manufacturers of “lobbying hard to get a delay so that they can catch up”, at the expense of companies that have moved more quickly.

Today, fully-electric vehicles account for one in four new cars sold, so the argument isn’t about whether the market is moving towards EVs. It’s about how quickly it should move and how much pressure Government should put on manufacturers to make it happen.

Is the 2030 petrol and diesel ban being scrapped?

No. The Government has been unusually clear in this review that both the 2030 phase-out of new purely petrol and diesel cars and the 2035 zero-emission target are staying. The consultation is therefore about the details for the journey, rather than the destination.

Could the 80% target for 2030 change?

Yes. The Government is considering several options for changing the trajectory. Some options on the table would reduce the 2030 ZEV target, potentially to as low as 50% vehicle share, while another would retain the existing 80% target but introduce additional flexibility for manufacturers.

None of the proposals change either the 2030 or 2035 end dates, so there is the obvious consequence that if a carmaker sells fewer EVs earlier on in the journey, they’ll have to sell rather more of them later. It’s a bit like deciding that your marathon training plan looks a bit ambitious, so you decide to run fewer miles for the next few months. That’s fine, but the marathon hasn’t moved.

Is anything else being considered?

For GRIDSERVE, EV charging infrastructure investment tends to be highly capital intensive and happens well ahead of demand, so having that EV demand certainty is critical.

However, while a mandate can encourage manufacturers to build and sell EVs, it can’t force somebody to walk into a showroom and buy one. The wider package of measures still matter, which is why everything from financial incentives to charging infrastructure and making electric car ownership easier will be discussed within the consultation.

We think there are things the UK Government can do today to address the price of public charging, such as reducing standing charges on EV Hubs and VAT paid on energy, as well as adjusting National Highways signage rules that allows drivers to locate our world-leading EV charging facilities. Looking at you, Markham Vale.

What does all this mean for EV drivers?

For anyone buying a car today, nothing changes overnight.

The consultation doesn’t introduce a new ban, a new tax or a requirement for motorists to switch to an EV tomorrow morning. Instead, it could influence the range of new cars on sale over the next few years, how aggressively they promote EVs and the pace at which charging infrastructure needs to expand.

The consultation closes on 23 October ,2026, after which the Government will consider the responses before deciding whether the rules should change.

For drivers, manufacturers and charging companies alike, the most valuable thing may ultimately be knowing where that road leads.