Half of UK dealers want ZEV Mandate targets relaxed

A new survey has found that nearly half of UK dealers believe that ZEV Mandate targets should be relaxed.

According to research carried out by Startline Motor Finance, 47% of dealerships think the ZEV Mandate targets are too severe.

Meanwhile, 30% think that manufacturers will end up being fined under the scheme and 23% believe that the targets will eventually be scrapped.

The ZEV Mandate stipulates that zero emission vehicles must account for 22% of all manufacturer sales this year, and that figure rises to 28% in 2025, 33% in 2026, 38% in 2027, 52% in 2028, 66% in 2029 and 80% in 2030.

ZEV Mandate

Paul Burgess, CEO at Startline Motor Finance, said: “EV sales are widely perceived to be almost flatlining, so the ZEV Mandate is currently receiving a lot of attention. While manufacturers can defer targets to future years, the ultimate fines are £15,000 per vehicle, which is obviously eye-wateringly high.

“It appears that against this backdrop, large numbers of dealers are increasingly sceptical that the ZEV Mandate is a good idea or even that it is practically achievable. They believe something is going to have to give in terms of the targets.

“How likely that is for a Labour government that remains committed to reinstating the 2030 petrol and diesel sales ban is open to question although there must be some doubt over whether any administration would ultimately impose the kinds of massive fines that might be incurred on one of our most important industries.”