ChargeUK has called on the UK Government to remain committed to the 2030 Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, emphasising its importance in underpinning investment in EV charging infrastructure.
In a letter addressed to the Chancellor of the Exchequer, ChargeUK CEO Vicky Read highlighted concerns over potential changes to the mandate following discussions in the media and appeals from automotive industry leaders.
“The charging sector understands the key role it plays in the transition to electric vehicles, to provide convenient and affordable charging. And we are getting on with that job, committing £6bn of investment through to 2030,” Read noted in her letter. She stressed that this significant investment is being made ahead of demand and is “underpinned not by targets, but by the ZEV mandate, which is giving the sector confidence to invest.”
Read pointed out that the charging network is expanding rapidly, with the sector recently reaching a milestone of 70,000 public chargers. “This, combined with approximately 850,000 home and workplace chargers, means there is close to one charger for every EV today,” she stated.
Addressing concerns about the affordability of charging, Read acknowledged factors outside the control of charging operators, such as VAT rates, standing charges, and wholesale electricity prices. She urged the Government to take actions to remove delivery barriers and address these costs to ensure charging remains as affordable as possible.
“We warmly welcomed that commitment from Government,” Read said, referencing a recent statement from Department for Transport Minister Lillian Greenwood, who assured that the government would back the industry’s investment efforts. “The very opposite of backing us is a watered-down ZEV mandate and arbitrary targets that will do nothing to accelerate rollout—these are the quickest ways to see investment in charging infrastructure dry up and the roll-out ground to a halt.”
The letter follows comments from Ed Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero, during an interview with BBC’s Today programme, where he identified charging infrastructure as a key issue hindering the EV sector. That’s despite 64% of drivers reporting improved confidence in the public charging network over the last year, according to the latest EVA EV charging survey.
Meanwhile, leaders in the motoring industry, including executives from Ford, Volkswagen, and Vauxhall, have urged the Government to reintroduce incentives for purchasing electric vehicles or to reconsider the ZEV mandate. They noted, “Mandates don’t make markets and consumers respond to carrots not sticks. Unfortunately, the private consumer has no fiscal incentive to switch and so our ZEV market looks set to miss its target. The consequences of this will not just be environmental but economic.”
That has led some to worry that the UK Government may renege on its promise to bring the ZEV mandate back to its original 2030 date, which was outlined in its manifesto at the last General Election. While the UK Government hasn’t confirmed its decision either way, the intervention from ChargeUK proves that the industry is concerned about a potential u-turn.