[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":715},["ShallowReactive",2],{"story-article/uk-government-remains-firm-on-2035-zero-emission-vehicle-targets-but-mulling-softer-pathway":3,"ticker-data":181},{"id":4,"uuid":5,"name":6,"slug":7,"full_slug":8,"content":9,"relatedArticles":179,"relatedVideos":180},209033851800763,"cf36a872-05ea-4288-a53a-a56d5f311884","UK government remains firm on 2035 zero emission vehicle targets but mulling softer pathway","uk-government-remains-firm-on-2035-zero-emission-vehicle-targets-but-mulling-softer-pathway","article/uk-government-remains-firm-on-2035-zero-emission-vehicle-targets-but-mulling-softer-pathway",{"_uid":10,"date":11,"tags":12,"editor":22,"content":32,"excerpt":149,"featured":150,"reporter":151,"component":162,"seo_title":163,"categories":164,"visibility":168,"data_vis_image":169,"featured_image":172,"seo_description":176,"side_panel_banner":76,"formattedDate":177,"formattedArticleDate":178},"25c91606-54db-4217-be98-7b4aa9dbdbd5","2026-08-14 00:00",[13,16,19],{"slug":14,"name":15},"uk","UK",{"slug":17,"name":18},"uk-government","UK Government",{"slug":20,"name":21},"europe","Europe",[23],{"slug":24,"name":25,"content":26},"benjamin-roche","Benjamin Roche",{"job_title":27,"image":28,"bio":30,"linkedin":31},"Editor – Energy Transition Supply Chains",{"filename":29},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/800x800/66d6674fb8/benjamin-roche.png","Benjamin is Benchmark's Editor for Energy Transition Supply Chains, covering both upstream products like critical minerals and downstream products including energy storage systems and electric vehicles. He has previous experience covering trade flows, tariffs and the effects of geopolitics on supply chains.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/benjaminrochecontent/",{"type":33,"attrs":34,"content":36},"doc",{"backgroundColor":35},null,[37,56,77,91,101,106,111,116,127,132,139,144],{"type":38,"attrs":39,"content":40},"paragraph",{"textAlign":35},[41,44,54],{"text":42,"type":43},"The UK government has today launched its consultation on the ","text",{"text":45,"type":43,"marks":46},"zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate",[47],{"type":48,"attrs":49},"link",{"href":50,"uuid":51,"anchor":35,"target":52,"linktype":53},"/article/zero-emission-target-helps-uk-ev-market-outpace-europe-in-2024","78874d6d-eacb-4baf-8ee9-d7445a35f7b3","_blank","story",{"text":55,"type":43},", which provides headline target values for ZEV sales for each manufacturer in the UK, culminating in a 100% ZEV target by 2035.",{"type":38,"attrs":57,"content":58},{"textAlign":35},[59,61,68,70],{"text":60,"type":43},"The targets have faced pushback from OEMs and their representatives in the UK in recent years for the rapid trajectory they set, though OEMs have succeeded in meeting its demands. The UK’s 2026 YTD ",{"text":62,"type":43,"marks":63},"EV penetration rate",[64],{"type":48,"attrs":65},{"href":66,"uuid":67,"anchor":35,"target":52,"linktype":53},"/article/how-does-uk-ev-sale-penetration-vary-across-the-country","1c9627e0-9756-4054-8000-4dad71359cb9",{"text":69,"type":43}," (including PHEVs) exceeds 33%, ahead of Germany, France, Italy and Spain. ",{"text":71,"type":43,"marks":72}," ",[73],{"type":74,"attrs":75},"textStyle",{"color":76},"",{"type":38,"attrs":78,"content":79},{"textAlign":35},[80,82,89],{"text":81,"type":43},"Previously, the UK government has come under pressure for not providing consumer-side support to the EV market, placing the burden of compliance on OEMs. In response, it ",{"text":83,"type":43,"marks":84},"reintroduced subsidy support",[85],{"type":48,"attrs":86},{"href":87,"uuid":88,"anchor":35,"target":52,"linktype":53},"/article/the-uk-government-returns-to-incentivising-ev-sales","d1093a8a-c9fa-4cac-96ce-f7d9e4999aa6",{"text":90,"type":43}," for the purchase of new EVs in July 2025. However, despite this support, OEMs have argued that current compliance with the ZEV mandate is thanks to a higher level of discounting for EVs at dealerships compared to ICE counterparts to encourage the level of sales required.",{"type":92,"attrs":93,"content":95},"heading",{"level":94,"textAlign":35},2,[96],{"text":97,"type":43,"marks":98},"Headroom against targets provided by hybrid sales",[99],{"type":100},"bold",{"type":38,"attrs":102,"content":103},{"textAlign":35},[104],{"text":105,"type":43},"Flexibilities built into the scheme mean ZEV sales do not need to meet the headline targets if the average emissions of non-ZEV sales are also decreasing thanks to credit transfers. With HEV and PHEV sales also increasing, this is almost universally the case, providing the headroom required.",{"type":38,"attrs":107,"content":108},{"textAlign":35},[109],{"text":110,"type":43},"This flexibility was also extended to 2029, meaning OEMs could rely on the additional room for compliance for longer, however, with those flexibilities not allowed to be used from 2030, the effective target will face an extreme ramp up in that year.",{"type":38,"attrs":112,"content":113},{"textAlign":35},[114],{"text":115,"type":43},"Now, the UK government has launched the consultation to present alternative options for the pathway of the mandate. It has, however, remained firm in the overall goal to “end the sale of new purely petrol and diesel cars by 2030, and for all new cars and vans to be fully zero emission by 2035”.",{"type":117,"attrs":118},"blok",{"id":119,"body":120},"4dd1be75-a2f5-4a91-8ea5-ced6e7315dcb",[121],{"id":122,"_uid":123,"type":124,"component":125,"fixed_height":76,"use_fixed_height":126,"fixed_height_mobile":76,"fixed_height_tablet":76},"29970172","i-25e49bd8-e860-41fd-ad80-c5f0b9ed57b1","visualisation","ContentFlourish",false,{"type":38,"attrs":128,"content":129},{"textAlign":35},[130],{"text":131,"type":43},"One further option in the consultation is to keep the targets unchanged but extend the program flexibilities beyond 2030, giving OEMs more options in how they comply with targets.",{"type":92,"attrs":133,"content":134},{"level":94,"textAlign":35},[135],{"text":136,"type":43,"marks":137},"Significant cuts risk achievement of 2035 target",[138],{"type":100},{"type":38,"attrs":140,"content":141},{"textAlign":35},[142],{"text":143,"type":43},"Benchmark’s current expectations for UK ZEV sales sits short of the mandate’s headline target. Will Roberts, Benchmark automotive research lead, said that “the flexibilities today are allowing OEMs to comply while also providing significant impetus for sustained progress. Major cuts to the target risk allowing OEMs to ‘relax’ in the near term, in turn making targets begin to look unachievable in the longer term. This could open the door for further pushback and watering-down of the targets.",{"type":38,"attrs":145,"content":146},{"textAlign":35},[147],{"text":148,"type":43},"“The UK government remaining firm on the end goal is a welcome part of this consultation. Ensuring any mandate creates a reasonable and achievable progression to 100% ZEVs is critical while maintaining the strength of public and commercial messaging required to make it happen.”","The UK government has today launched its consultation on the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which provides headline target values for ZEV sales for each manufacturer in the UK, culminating in a 100% ZEV target by 2035.\n\nThe targets have faced pushback from OEMs and their representatives in the UK in recent years for the rapid trajectory they set, though OEMs have succeeded in meeting its demands. The UK’s 2026 YTD EV penetration rate (including PHEVs) exceeds 33%, ahead of Germany, France, Italy and Spain. ",true,[152],{"slug":153,"name":154,"content":155},"will-roberts","Will Roberts",{"job_title":156,"image":157,"bio":159,"linkedin":160,"markets_covered":161},"Automotive Research Lead",{"filename":158},"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/852x854/474a3cfca2/will-r.png","Will is part of the EV & Battery research team. As Automotive Research Lead, he manages all aspects of the team's view on global vehicle markets. Will leads forecasting for both the total vehicle market globally as well as electrified vehicles and works extensively on electric vehicle and battery market analysis, with a particular focus on the effects of legislation in the North American & European markets and, auto OEM strategy in the transition to EV. In addition, Will is also leading research in EV motors, vehicle platforms and systems. Will graduated from the University of Exeter, with a BSc in Physics and MSc in Mechanical Engineering.","https://www.linkedin.com/in/willroberts227/","EV and Battery","article","UK government firm on 2035 vehicle target but mulls softer path",[165],{"slug":166,"name":167},"ev","EV","private",{"id":35,"alt":35,"name":76,"focus":35,"title":35,"source":35,"filename":76,"copyright":35,"fieldtype":170,"meta_data":171},"asset",{},{"id":173,"alt":76,"name":76,"focus":76,"title":76,"source":76,"filename":174,"copyright":76,"fieldtype":170,"meta_data":175,"is_external_url":126},129073389864781,"https://a.storyblok.com/f/287943243085208/6e1c26712e/bm-uk-taxi-ev.jpg",{},"The UK government has today launched its consultation on the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which provides headline target values for ZEV sales for each manufacturer in the UK, culminating in a 100% ZEV target by 2035. 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