UK ZEV mandate consultation closes with 2030 car target options from 80% down to 50%
The UK consultation on the zero emission vehicle mandate closed on 23 October. Options include cutting the 2030 car target from 80% to 70%, 60% or 50%. The government says no decision has been taken.
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The UK government's consultation on the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate closed at 11:59pm on 23 October 2026, according to the Department for Transport's consultation page. The page says the review of the Vehicle Emissions Trading Schemes Order is due by early 2027, and that feedback is being analysed.
Under the current rules, 80% of a manufacturer's new cars and 70% of new vans must be zero emission by 2030, rising to 100% in 2035. AM reported on 23 October that the options include cutting the 2030 car target to 70%, 60% or 50%, or keeping the targets while extending flexibilities such as credit banking and borrowing to 2034. AM says Toyota and the National Franchised Dealers Association have asked for 50%, and that no announcement date has been confirmed.
The Guardian reported on 25 October on analysis from the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, seen by the paper. It says a cut to 50% could mean an extra 147 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent. The paper quotes a government spokesperson: "no decisions have been taken," and says the government still plans to phase out new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 and be fully zero emission by 2035.
The Guardian also says more than half of new UK cars sold last month were electric if hybrids are counted, and about 28% were fully electric. Those are the paper's figures; this desk did not open the registration tables.
Analysis
Nothing has changed in law. The 50% to 70% figures are options in a consultation, and the government says the 2035 end point stays. The emissions estimate is one think tank's analysis as reported by the Guardian.
More from the Policy desk: NHTSA's lighting proposal, Europe's September EV shares, and zero-emission truck sales.