The UK is set to implement a Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, starting in 2023. Under these new rules, automakers are required to ensure that electric or fuel cell vehicle sales account for 22 percent of registrations in the first year. Failure to meet this target will result in substantial fines. These fines amount to £15,000 per car and £9,000 per van. The requirements become even more stringent in the coming years, with the goal of reaching 100 percent electric or fuel cell vehicles by 2035.
According to market analysts Dataforce, Ford and Toyota are among the automakers that could face significant fines if they don’t improve their electric vehicle sales. Ford’s EV share over a 12-month period was just 2 percent, while Toyota had a 1 percent share. The fines could be substantial, with Dataforce estimating they could reach £2.4 billion based on the 18 percent EV share in the UK in the 12 months leading to the end of September.
Other automakers, including Suzuki, Land Rover, Mazda, Nissan, Fiat, Citroen, Skoda, Vauxhall, Peugeot, and Mini, also need to increase their electric vehicle sales to meet the new regulations. Their EV sales shares ranged from 3 percent to 15 percent over the same 12-month period.