New Rules Force Manufacturers to Sell Minimum of 22 Percent Electric Vehicles or Face Fines

A new number plate is put on a brand new Nissan electric car at a dealership in Northampton, England, on Aug. 5, 2022. (Blackball Media/PA)

New rules have come into force which force car manufacturers in the UK to sell a minimum of 22 percent zero-emission vehicles or face huge fines.

The Department for Transport said the zer0-emission vehicle mandate would be gradually increased to 100 percent by 2035, when the ban on new petrol and diesel cars comes into force.

Manufacturers who fail to abide by the mandate will be fined £15,000 for every internal combustion engine (ICE) car they sell above the 78 percent limit.

Boris Johnson, when he was prime minister, announced petrol and diesel engines would be banned from 2030—in an attempt to reach net zero—but earlier this year Prime Minister Rishi Sunak pushed that date back to 2035.

The Labour Party has said it would restore the ban date of 2030 if it wins the general election later this year.

The UK government’s technology and decarbonisation minister, Anthony Browne, visited an electric vehicle (EV) charging hub in central London on Wednesday, and said, “Alongside us having spent more than £2 billion in the transition to electric vehicles, our zero-emission vehicle mandate will further boost the economy and support manufacturers to safeguard skilled British jobs in the automotive industry.”

Government Says it is Investing in Charging Network

He said: “We are providing investment certainty for the charging sector to expand our charging network, which has already grown by 44 percent since this time last year.

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“This will support the constantly growing number of EVs in the UK, which currently account for over 16 percent of the new UK car market,” said Mr. Browne.

But it emerged on Tuesday the government had missed its own target for EV chargers at motorway service areas.

The RAC, analysing data from electric charging locator point Zap-Map, found only 46 out of 119 sites met the Department for Transport’s target for at least six rapid or ultra-rapid chargers at every motorway service area in England by the end of 2023.

Four motorway service areas—two at Leicester Forest on the M1, Tebay South on the M6 and Barton Park on the A1(M)—have no charging facilities at all.

Bob Bull, from the Alliance of British Drivers, told The Epoch Times there was little enthusiasm from the average motorist to switch to electric cars, partly because of the prohibitive cost and the shortage of chargers.

Last month, Conservative MP Bob Blackman, who is the chair of the All Party Parliamentary Fire Safety and Rescue Group, said the government, in its rush to meet net zero targets, had not recognised the inherent fire risks posed by lithium batteries in electric vehicles.

On Monday, The Epoch Times highlighted the potential risk from electric vehicles travelling on ferries using UK ports.

The new zero-emission vehicle mandate will cover the whole of the UK and Whitehall is introducing it in liaison with the Scottish government, the government in Wales and Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure.

Akira Kirton, vice president of charging network provider BP Pulse, said, “This mandate instils confidence in our strategy, reaffirming our plans to invest £1 billion over ten years to continue to develop hundreds of EV charging hubs across the country by 2030 to bolster the UK’s charging infrastructure.”

Manufacturers say ‘Demand Must Match Supply’

But the chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, Mike Hawes, warned that more needed to be done to boost demand and help potential EV customers.

“The regulation means the UK retains the most ambitious timeline of any major market yet without private consumer incentives. While manufacturers offer a vast range of zero-emission vehicles, demand must match supply,” he said.

A survey by Auto Trader in Sep. 2023 found 56 percent of people surveyed felt EVs were too expensive and only 47 percent could see an EV fitting in with their lifestyle.

PA Media contributed to this report.