Tom Hurst, UK Country Director at EV charging solutions provider Fastned, has commented on reports that the Government is looking to further ‘water down’ the Zero Vehicle Emission Mandate.

“Reports that the Government is considering further watering down its zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate are concerning and counterintuitive at a time when the sale of electric vehicles in the UK is currently higher than ever,” he said.

“As Fastned’s CEO Michiel Langezaal will be highlighting at COP31 in Antalya, international policy must pivot from high-level pledges to genuine execution, rather than retreating when momentum builds. 32 per cent of all new vehicles sold in October were electric, the highest market share achieved this year, and September set the UK record for the number of electric vehicles sold in a month.

“It’s really positive to see that there is strong and sustained growth for electric vehicles in the UK. This demonstrates that the ZEV mandate is achievable and delivering, as the Government needs it to be if it is to achieve its net zero targets. Rather than backing away, the Government should take this opportunity reaffirm its commitment to the EV transition with steps to further encourage adoption, such as addressing the ‘driveway divide’ caused by the unfair disparity between VAT on domestic and public charging.

“Decarbonising road transport represents one of the most immediate engines for clean industrial growth and energy resilience. As Michiel will make clear on the global stage, where this needs to be discussed, systemic change only takes root when public confidence is earned on the ground, ensuring zero-emission travel is unequivocally fair, frictionless, and practical for every driver.”

(Picture: Fastned)