UK and Canada review electric vehicle sales mandates

The United Kingdom and Canada are both undergoing significant shifts in their electric vehicle (EV) regulatory frameworks.

In the UK, the Department for Transport has launched a consultation to review the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate. While the 2035 deadline for all new cars and vans to be zero-emission remains fixed, the government is considering easing intermediate targets. Options include reducing the 2030 sales target from 80% to as low as 50%. Industry groups, including the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, have cited supply chain disruptions and weak consumer demand as challenges. Commercial fleet operators have specifically highlighted difficulties in transitioning electric vans due to payload, range, and charging infrastructure requirements.

In Canada, the federal government has moved to repeal the Electric Vehicle Availability Standard (EVAS), which originally mandated 100% zero-emission vehicle sales by 2035. Prime Minister Mark Carney has proposed replacing this with new greenhouse gas emissions standards aimed at achieving 75% ZEV sales by 2035 and 90% by 2040. However, the formal replacement standards are still in the consultation phase, leaving a temporary regulatory gap at the federal level, though provinces like Quebec and British Columbia maintain their own scaled-back mandates.