The government is quietly preparing to water down its flagship electric vehicle sales mandate, sources confirm. Whitehall insiders reveal that the Department for Transport is drafting an amendment to the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, reducing the 2030 target for phasing out new petrol and diesel car sales. The move, described as a 'pragmatic shift' by officials, is designed to protect Britain's struggling automotive industry from further economic damage.
Uncovered documents show that the Department for Business and Trade has been lobbying for a softer target for months. The original mandate required 80% of new car sales to be electric by 2030, ramping up to 100% by 2035. But leaked internal memos suggest this will be revised downward to 70% by 2030, with a longer glide path to the 2035 ban. 'The industry cannot withstand the current pace of transition,' a senior civil servant wrote in a briefing note. 'We risk factory closures and job losses on a scale not seen since the 1980s.'
This is a political calculation, not an environmental one. The Treasury is terrified of a collapse in vehicle excise duty and fuel revenues. The car industry, meanwhile, has been bleeding cash. Jaguar Land Rover and Stellantis have both warned that the mandate is too aggressive. The Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders confirms that EV market share has plateaued at around 16% of new registrations, far below the trajectory needed.
Environmental groups are furious. Greenpeace UK calls it 'a betrayal of the climate emergency' and 'a handout to petrol-heads'. But the business lobby is relieved. 'This is the reality check the government needed,' a source at the Confederation of British Industry says. 'You cannot force consumers to buy cars they don't want or can't afford.'
The timing is suspicious. With a general election expected next year, the government is desperate to avoid any more bad news for manufacturing. The West Midlands, home to Jaguar Land Rover, is a key electoral battleground. Ministers are also eyeing a potential u-turn on the 2035 ban for new petrol cars, which was already pushed back from 2030 in September last year.
Let's be clear: this weakens Britain's position as a climate leader. The UK has been bragging about its net-zero ambitions at COP summits. Now it is backsliding on the single most impactful policy to cut transport emissions. But the truth is, the infrastructure is not ready. Public charging points remain scarce in rural areas, and the grid cannot handle a sudden surge in demand.
So here we are. The mandate will be softened. Electric car sales targets will be cut. The industry gets a lifeline. The climate gets a body blow. And the public gets a government that says one thing and does another. Watch this space for the official announcement expected within two weeks.
