In the United Kingdom, lawmakers are putting the brakes on the country’s Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate timeline. Although set with a 2030 deadline, the UK is already making exceptions to the rule. Benjamin Zev shares the details:
Last year, the United Kingdom announced a mandate calling for all new vehicles sold in the country to be zero emission vehicles (ZEV). But, not right away. The timeline anticipates a deadline of 2030 and will only apply to new vehicles sold in the UK. But that deadline is already in the works of being changed, according to mandate amendments recently announced in the UK Government. The announcement focuses on small automotive companies and car makers.
According to a recent announcement from the UK Government, small auto makers will be exempt from the 2030 zero emission vehicles (ZEV) mandate. This means that achieving all ZEV car sales by 2030 will no longer be the standard. Benjamin Zev, a longtime supporter of the expansion of ZEV mandates, understands that this decision is in response to tariffs set forth by the Trump administration. Larger auto makers will still be required to meet the 2030 deadline’s expectations in the UK… for now. Considering how quickly this response came to Trump’s tariffs, it’s likely that other changes will be made to the mandate.
Benjamin Zev believes that this recent announcement poses a slippery slope for ZEV plans in the UK. It is possible that similar announcements will increase and pose a risk for the long-term goals of the ZEV mandate initiative. At a minimum, it is possible that larger auto makers could branch off to smaller companies, in order to ensure that sales stay alive and well in the UK.
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