Ed Miliband told to do one thing now after calls to axe 2030 car ban
Ed Miliband has been told to make a move amid demands that the UK lift its ban on petrol and diesel cars. As Energy Secretary, Mr Miliband oversees the UK’s zero-emission vehicle (ZEV) authorization rules, which enable the move away from petrol and diesel-fuelled vehicles. The Secretary of State has previously called for accelerating the switch to electric vehicles and is a big supporter of the UK’s net zero targets. According to the ZEV Directive rules, manufacturers are told to produce a certain number of electric cars every year, and the 2026 target is set as 33% of production.
This gradually increases each year until all new petrol and diesel models, barring some exemptions, are no longer sold. The ban has come under pressure in recent weeks, with the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) as well as politicians calling for a review. But EV experts have urged ministers to remain calm and not make hasty decisions that they say could backfire.
Speaking to the Express, UK Electric Vehicles CEO Tanya Sinclair said: “The government doesn’t need to rewrite the ZEV Directive every few months. It needs to keep its nerve. The targets are set. The direction is clear. Now let companies start making the transition by investing billions in EVs, batteries, charging and UK jobs.”
“When ministers make changes to policy, water down commitments or otherwise signal a rethink, they don’t create confidence, they create hesitancy. Certainly among drivers, But also among manufacturers, investors and supply chain companies deciding where to place the next generation of capital technology and jobs. Consistency is policy now, The industry needs stability, not another round of uncertainty.”
This week the Business and Trade Committee wrote an open letter to the Department for Transport questioning the ZEV Entitlement rules. They called on the Government to bring forward a review of the rules, arguing that the ZEV Authorization under its current design poses significant risks to the UK automotive sector.
Ginny Buckley, CEO electrifying.com He emphasized that it was the wrong time to eliminate the policy altogether.
He said: “The real risk for the UK’s car industry is not the switch to electric cars, but hesitation at the crossroads.
“Car buyers need consistent messaging, not swings in policy, and at a time when global instability is driving up energy costs and prices at the pumps, doubling down on electrification is the smartest economic and energy security decision the UK can make.”
