The UK’s electric vehicle rules could be changed following a government review, with reports suggesting manufacturers may be given more time and flexibility to increase the number of electric cars they register.
However, it is important to separate what has been reported from what has been officially confirmed.
Autocar reports that the government could reduce the Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate’s headline car target for 2030 from 80% to around 60%. Manufacturers could also retain access to some of the mandate’s flexibilities until 2034.
Neither change has been confirmed.
In a parliamentary answer published on 9 November 2026, the government said it was still reviewing responses to its consultation and that no policy decisions had been made. It aims to publish a joint response with the devolved governments by the end of 2026, with any changes expected to take effect from the 2027 compliance year.
Until that response is published and any necessary legislation is introduced, the current rules remain in place.
The Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate sets annual requirements for the proportion of new cars and vans registered by manufacturers that must be zero-emission vehicles.
For cars, the existing headline trajectory rises from 33% in 2026 to 38% in 2027, 52% in 2028, 66% in 2029 and 80% in 2030.
These percentages are often described as electric car sales targets, but the system is more complicated than that. The mandate applies to manufacturers and includes several ways for them to meet their obligations.
Manufacturers can earn and trade credits, carry some credits forward or borrow from future years, subject to the rules of the scheme. Performance against separate carbon dioxide targets for non-zero-emission vehicles can also affect compliance.
This means a manufacturer registering fewer electric cars than the headline percentage does not automatically receive a fine. It may still be able to comply by using the flexibilities available within the scheme.
The government reviewed the mandate because the number of electric cars being registered is increasing, but not as quickly as the headline trajectory requires.
Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders show that 48,858 battery-electric cars were registered in October 2026. That was an increase of 32.7% compared with October 2025 and gave electric cars a 32% monthly market share.
Across the first ten months of 2026, 503,805 electric cars were registered, representing 26.6% of the new car market.
The SMMT currently forecasts that electric cars will finish 2026 with a 27.2% market share, compared with the mandate’s 33% headline target. It expects the gap to remain in 2027 and widen further in 2028 if the existing trajectory is retained.
Manufacturers have invested heavily in new electric models and have supported demand through offers and incentives. The industry argues that this level of support cannot continue indefinitely and wants the mandate to reflect the rate at which customers are choosing to switch.
There is another side to the discussion. Maintaining a demanding trajectory gives manufacturers, charging companies and other parts of the industry a clearer reason to invest in electric vehicles and supporting infrastructure.
This is the difficult balance the government’s review is attempting to address. The rules need to encourage continued progress without moving so far ahead of customer demand that manufacturers face unsustainable costs.
A reduction in the annual mandate targets would not mean that electric cars are being abandoned, nor would it make petrol and diesel cars illegal.
The government has restated its commitment to ending the sale of new cars powered solely by internal combustion engines from 2030. Some new hybrid and plug-in hybrid cars will be permitted between 2030 and 2035, subject to the final rules defining which models qualify.
From 2035, all new cars and vans are due to be zero-emission at the exhaust.
Existing petrol, diesel and hybrid cars will still be legal to own, drive and sell. Leasing one now will not leave the driver with an illegal vehicle when 2030 arrives.
If the reported 2030 mandate figure is reduced from 80% to 60%, the main effect would be on the rate at which manufacturers must increase the proportion of zero-emission cars they register. It would not move the confirmed 2030 and 2035 transition dates unless the government announced separate changes to those policies.
For drivers, the immediate message is that nothing has changed yet.
Electric cars already suit many people, particularly those who can charge at home and whose regular journeys sit comfortably within the car’s available range. The growing choice of hatchbacks, saloons, crossovers and family SUVs means switching no longer requires the compromises associated with some earlier electric models.
They will not suit every driver, however. Charging access, annual mileage, longer journeys and the type of roads regularly travelled should all be considered when choosing between electric, hybrid, petrol and diesel models.
Drivers interested in making the switch can explore the latest electric car lease deals available from Leasing Options, alongside hybrid, petrol and diesel alternatives.
