Charging companies have challenged the suggestion that Britain's infrastructure is not ready for electric cars, after reports that ministers are considering weakening the country's 2030 electric vehicle sales target from 80% to 60%.
The change would reduce the proportion of new cars that must be fully electric by 2030, following pressure from manufacturers concerned about costs, jobs and consumer demand. Charging executives warned that drivers and investors would pay the price of any dilution, and argued that the network is already being delivered and should not be blamed for the challenges facing carmakers.
Grid charges in focus
The intervention came a day after the publication of Reverse the Charge, an impact assessment produced by EV newsletter The Fast Charge in partnership with Zest. It found that the fixed grid charges paid to keep a single rapid charger live have risen by 616% since 2021, from £61.47 a week to £440.13. The report warns that rapid charging could pass £1 per kWh next year, hitting drivers without off-street parking hardest, and calls on Ofgem to urgently fix the capacity-based billing behind the increase.
Robin Heap, chief executive of Zest, said investment follows confidence and confidence depends on certainty. He said speculation about weakening the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate sends the wrong signal to businesses committing millions to Britain's electric future, and argued the transition needs long-term thinking rather than short-term concessions. Ofgem's fixed grid charges, he added, are already causing charging projects to be scaled back or shelved, and further uncertainty over targets risks delaying investment, slowing progress and leaving drivers worse off, while making the UK less attractive for investment than other markets.
Disagreement inside government
The row follows reports of disagreement within government over how far to relax the ZEV mandate, which requires manufacturers to sell an increasing proportion of electric cars. While manufacturers have warned that demand is not keeping pace with the targets, EV advocates argue the existing rules already give carmakers considerable room to meet their obligations. Almost one in three new cars sold in October was fully electric, according to public data from New AutoMotive.
Ginny Buckley, chief executive of electric car buying and advice site Electrifying.com, said drivers and businesses need a clear road ahead, yet even ministers appear unable to agree on the direction, and that now is the time to build confidence rather than weaken it. She said the ZEV mandate already includes substantial flexibilities, and that analysis suggests the car market collectively is ahead of its estimated requirement once CO2 flexibilities are included. Vans need separate consideration, she added, because electric cars and vans are moving at very different speeds, leaving some manufacturers relying on surplus electric car credits to avoid fines on van sales. Purchase grants and charging support already exist, but ministers should assess whether they address businesses' practical barriers and set a more realistic trajectory for vans.
Drivers without driveways
Yann Marston, chief revenue officer at char.gy, said the charging network is growing ahead of government targets and is ready to support more drivers making the switch. Keeping ambitious EV targets in place, he argued, would help ensure drivers have access to more affordable electric cars, particularly those without driveways, who often face the biggest barriers; what drivers need now is more choice and greater confidence, which a consistent policy framework can deliver.
Investors have warned that repeated changes to the rules could make Britain a less attractive place to fund new charging infrastructure. The government insists no final decision has been taken and says it remains committed to ending sales of new cars powered solely by petrol or diesel in 2030, with all new car and van sales required to be zero-emission by 2035. A decision on the mandate is expected following further ministerial discussions this week.