Leaders of Britain's charging industry have pushed back against suggestions that the government could water down its electric vehicle sales targets, warning that a change of course would unsettle investors and leave drivers facing higher costs.
Ministers are reportedly considering cutting the share of new cars that must be fully electric by 2030 from 80% to 60%, following pressure from manufacturers concerned about costs, jobs and consumer demand. The proposal concerns the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires carmakers to sell an increasing proportion of electric models each year.
Rapid charging costs under scrutiny
The industry response came a day after the publication of Reverse the Charge, an impact assessment produced by the EV newsletter The Fast Charge in partnership with charging company Zest. It found that the fixed grid charges paid to keep a single rapid charger live have risen by 616% since 2021, from £61.47 a week to £440.13. The report warns that rapid charging could pass £1 per kWh next year, hitting drivers without off-street parking hardest, and calls on Ofgem to urgently fix the capacity-based billing behind the increase.
Robin Heap, chief executive of Zest, argued that investment follows confidence and that confidence depends on certainty. Speculation about weakening the ZEV mandate, he said, sends the wrong signal to businesses committing millions to Britain's electric future. He added that the transition needs long-term thinking rather than short-term concessions, and that Ofgem's disproportionate fixed grid charges are already causing charging projects to be scaled back or shelved. Further uncertainty over EV targets risks delaying investment, slowing progress and ultimately leaving drivers worse off, he said, and could make the UK less attractive for investment than other markets.
Mandate flexibilities disputed
The intervention follows reports of disagreements within government over how far to relax the mandate. Manufacturers have warned that demand is not keeping pace with the targets, while EV advocates argue the existing rules already give carmakers considerable room to meet their obligations. Almost one in three new cars sold in October was fully electric, according to public data from New AutoMotive.
Ginny Buckley, chief executive of the electric car buying and advice site Electrifying.com, said drivers and businesses need a clear road ahead at a time when even ministers appear unable to agree on direction. With rising uptake and a growing choice of affordable electric models, she argued, the priority should be to build confidence rather than weaken it, and the government must not let private companies dictate environmental policy. She noted that the mandate already includes substantial flexibilities, and that analysis suggests the car market collectively is ahead of its estimated requirement once CO2 flexibilities are included. Vans, she added, need separate consideration, because electric cars and vans are moving at very different speeds, leaving some manufacturers reliant on surplus electric car credits to avoid fines on van sales.
Yann Marston, chief revenue officer at char.gy, said the charging network is growing ahead of government targets and is ready to support more drivers making the switch. Keeping ambitious targets in place, he said, would help ensure drivers have access to more affordable electric cars, particularly those without driveways who often face the biggest barriers.
Investors have warned that repeated changes to the rules could make Britain a less attractive place to fund new charging infrastructure. The government insists no final decision has been taken and says it remains committed to ending sales of new cars powered solely by petrol or diesel in 2030, with all new car and van sales required to be zero-emission by 2035. A decision on the mandate is expected following further ministerial discussions this week.