Overview

• The UK government has reaffirmed the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales while allowing hybrids to be sold until 2035.
• Changes to the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) Mandate include reduced fines for non-compliance and increased flexibility for manufacturers to meet EV targets.
• Luxury carmakers like Aston Martin and McLaren are exempt from the 2030 ban due to their low production volumes, and petrol and diesel vans can also be sold until 2035.
• Environmental groups criticize the relaxed rules for undermining the transition to clean energy, while carmakers warn the measures are insufficient to boost EV demand or offset the impact of US tariffs.
• Fully electric vehicles accounted for 20.7% of UK car sales in Q1 2025, but high costs and limited infrastructure remain major barriers to widespread adoption.