This week the UK government has published its Net Zero Strategy which includes a mandate on the sale of Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEV).
The strategy announcement comes ahead of the UN’s Climate Change Conference - COP26 which is being held in Glasgow from the 31st of October to the 12th of November.
The 10 point plan sets a clear strategy for how the UK will reach the Government’s target of net zero by 2050.
These 10 points cover power supply, fuel supply and hydrogen fuel, industry emissions, heating and building generated emissions, transportation, natural resources and the use of them as well as the removal of greenhouse gases.
The two areas that affect vehicles are fuel supply and hydrogen and transportation.
Fuel Supply and Hydrogen
Under this section of the strategy, the Government reiterates their commitment to diversify energy sources and rely less heavily on traditional fuel like oil and gas to produce electricity within the North Sea Transition Deal.
This involves increasing the use of carbon alternatives like hydrogen and biofuel.
In the report it’s also highlighted that the current gas price rises are another factor in the need to move away from reliance on the.
This could have an impact on EV drivers’ electricity choices, and how charging is powered across the UK’s expanding public charger network.
Transportation
The main area of interest for car enthusiasts though is the transportation section.
One of the key policies that the publication confirmed was the introduction of a zero-emission vehicle mandate where there will be targets set for the percentage of manufacturers’ new car and van sales to be zero emission.
This will be put in from 2024 and set annually until 2030 when all new vehicles will need to produce zero emission and is designed to help encourage greater driver take-up of electric vehicle (EV) models to help the government reach their net zero target.
The Government will be consulting earlier next year on the mandate, including the design of the mandate itself, CO2 emission regulations, how targets will be set, when targets will be set and how they will be enforced.
They have also committed to an additional £620 million to support drivers and businesses in the transition to EVs. This will help provide tailored grants and fund the needed infrastructure to support the planned EV uptake.
We’ll keep you updated as more news comes from COP26 in the coming weeks.
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