Vertu Motors has said that it is unable to deliver newly sold petrol cars to customers because of the ZEV Mandate.
The ZEV Mandate sets annual EV sales targets for manufacturers, with fines of £15,000 for each petrol or diesel vehicle sold above the limit.
CEO Robert Forrester said: “The auto-sector employs over one million people. Half of this is in manufacturing, the rest is in the sales, service and supply chain. My own firm leads the sector in the number of electric vehicles it sells but it is still nowhere near the government’s arbitrary targets. Ministers have only talked to manufacturers and have spurned all my requests for a meeting to explain the consequences for your neighbourhood car dealer.”
The EV target this year is 22% of all new sales. That rises to 28% next year. Vehicle manufacturers have claimed the targets are unreachable and the government is now consulting with them about how the ZEV Mandate can be reviewed.
ZEV Mandate
Forrester continued: “We have petrol cars in compounds which have been sold to customers, but the keys cannot be handed over because manufacturers, understandably, want to avoid fines at the end of this year.
“Christmas is coming and there will be thousands of car customers of different dealerships around the UK who cannot take delivery of their cars because they are being held over until January and the new quota year. It’s rationing by the back door.
“Ministers need to apply the brakes and U-turn before they run out of road and destroy the UK’s car industry for good.”
