UK organizations urge government to maintain Zero Emission Vehicle mandate

A broad coalition of climate, transport, and health organizations, including UKSIF and The Climate Coalition, has urged the UK government against weakening the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate. The groups are responding to a Department for Transport consultation regarding potential changes to the annual percentage of new zero-emission cars and vans required.

UKSIF stated that any changes to the current mandate trajectory or the 2030 phase-out date for petrol and diesel vehicles would undermine investor confidence and long-term certainty. The organization noted that the mandate serves as a critical market signal for private capital. Estimates suggest surface transport electrification could contribute £385 billion to the UK economy and support 334,000 jobs by 2035, provided the mandate remains unchanged.

A coalition of 30 leading organizations, including Greenpeace, WWF, and Friends of the Earth, described weakening the mandate as an “unnecessary act of economic self-harm.” Signatories emphasized that the policy is essential for public health, national energy security, and green industrial growth. They also highlighted that weakening sales quotas could significantly reduce investment in charging infrastructure.