Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has pledged to scrap the ban on new petrol and diesel car sales if her party wins the next general election, arguing that the policy is “ultimately destructive” and puts the UK’s car industry at a disadvantage.
Writing in The Telegraph, Badenoch said she would drop the Zero Emission Vehicle (ZEV) mandate, which requires 80% of new cars and 70% of new vans sold by manufacturers to be zero-emission by 2030, rising to 100% by 2035. She described the move as inspired by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni’s “common sense approach to net zero”. She accused the government of failing to listen to car manufacturers and of harming domestic industry against global competitors such as China.
The announcement comes as the EU is reportedly considering backing down from its own 2035 target to ban petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles. Six EU countries, including Poland and Italy, have called for the policy to be revisited over concerns about industrial competitiveness. Mike Hawes, chief executive of the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders, said Europe is the biggest market for UK automotive exports and that any relaxation of EU regulation could prompt a review of UK rules.
However, the electric vehicle charging industry has urged against weakening the mandate. Vicky Read, chief executive of ChargeUK, said the sector is investing billions of pounds in infrastructure, with close to 90,000 public charge points already delivered. She argued that the certainty provided by the ZEV mandate is essential for continued investment, and that weakening it would “pull the rug from underneath this industry yet again”.
The government has maintained its commitment to phasing out all new non-zero emission car and van sales by 2035. Separately, electric vehicle drivers face a new 3p per mile tax from April 2028, adding around £250 a year. Existing petrol and diesel cars will not be banned from the roads.
