The consultation on a Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate was published in the week prior to 5 April 2023, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), which reported the publication alongside its March registration figures1. The SMMT said the mandate is due to come into force in less than nine months1.
The same release recorded March 2023 as the biggest month on record for battery electric vehicle (BEV) uptake, with 46,626 deliveries, growth of 18.6%1. BEV market share was almost unchanged on the year at 16.2%, and with plug-in hybrid (PHEV) registrations up 11.8%, plug-in cars took 22.4% of the market, a slight decline on 20221. Hybrids (HEVs) posted the largest growth of any fuel type, up 34.3%, helping electrified vehicles account for more than one in three registrations for the month1. Petrol-powered vehicles remained the most popular fuel type at 56.3% of new units1.
Overall registrations rose 18.2% to 287,825 units, an eighth consecutive month of growth, and the first quarter of 2023 was the strongest since 2019 with just under half a million new cars joining the road1. The SMMT put the additional value of those deliveries at £2.7 billion, while noting the market remains down 29.5% on Q1 20191. Large fleets drove the growth, with registrations up 40,651 units, a 40.9% increase to a 48.6% market share; private buyer deliveries rose 1.4% and those to businesses with fleets of fewer than 25 vehicles rose 26.0%1.
| Measure | March 2023 |
|---|---|
| Total registrations | 287,825, up 18.2% |
| BEV deliveries | 46,626, up 18.6% |
| BEV market share | 16.2% |
| Plug-in market share (BEV and PHEV) | 22.4% |
| HEV growth | up 34.3% |
| Petrol share | 56.3% |
Mike Hawes, SMMT Chief Executive, said:
"The best month ever for zero emission vehicles is reflective of increased consumer choice and improved availability but if EV market ambitions, and regulation, are to be met, infrastructure investment must catch up."
The SMMT said the market will have to move more rapidly to battery electric and other zero tailpipe emission cars and vans, and that success of the mandate will depend not just on product availability but on infrastructure providers investing in the public charging network across the UK1.
Why it matters for households
The mandate sets the direction of the new car market, and the March figures show how far the shift has already run: roughly one in six new cars registered was battery electric, and more than one in five was plug-in1. For a household weighing a home chargepoint, the practical question raised by the SMMT is whether public charging keeps pace with the number of electric cars on the road, since it states that consumers will only make the switch if they have the confidence they can charge whenever and wherever they need1. Petrol remains the single most common fuel type in new registrations, so the used and new market most households encounter is still dominated by combustion cars1. The SMMT also notes the market remains well below pre-pandemic levels, down 29.5% on the first quarter of 20191.
What happens next
The SMMT states the mandate is due to come into force in less than nine months from its 5 April 2023 release1. No further dates for the consultation process, its closing date or the government's response are given in the source1.