Europcar responds to reports the Government will revise ZEV mandate targets | News

Responding to reports that the Government is set to ease the ZEV mandate’s 2030 target, Tom Middleditch, Sustainability spokesperson at Europcar Mobility Group UK, said: “Easing the pressure on manufacturers makes sense. OEMs have been telling us for months that the current trajectory was becoming unworkable, and a more realistic supply-side target should help stabilise the market for everyone who buys vehicles at scale.

“However, shifting the targets won’t fix the bigger issue of creating demand – in fact it could actually further suppress it and we must not forget the core reason for the switch to electric is for the vital environmental and local air quality benefits.

“The government is doing little to clear the confusion that is likely to be holding back buyers. The per-mile EV duty is on the cards for 2028 and Benefit-in-Kind incentives that have done more than almost anything else to drive EV adoption are steadily being scaled back. It also changed the grants for home charger installation earlier this year.

“The message to businesses, or anyone considering an electric vehicle is confusing at best, and at worst it looks like the government is quietly stepping back from the switch to electric just as the market was gaining momentum.
“If the Government wants a slower, steadier path, we understand that. But it has to be a coherent one. Easing pressure on manufacturers while simultaneously making it more expensive and less convenient for ordinary drivers to go electric isn’t a balanced transition, it’s a contradiction. We’d urge the government to look at these policies as a package, not in isolation, and to make sure that whatever changes come from this review still add up to a clear, positive case for switching to electric.

“The constant chopping and changing of policy isn’t just bad for EV demand, it creates uncertainty which is bad for business and economic growth.”