ChargeUK, the industry body for the companies that build and run public electric vehicle charging infrastructure, published a statement on 20 September 2023 calling on the Prime Minister to confirm that the UK government remains committed to the 2030 phase out date for new petrol and diesel vehicles and to a strong Zero Emission Vehicle Mandate1.
The statement followed government news that ChargeUK described as extremely worrying. It said the news was not consistent with economic stability or confidence, and that it would compromise the entire industry and place jobs and consumer and investor confidence at risk1. The statement did not set out the specific policy change it was responding to, and the government announcement itself is not reported in the statement1.
ChargeUK said its members have committed over £6 billion to roll out EV infrastructure in all parts of the UK, turning on a new public charging point every 20 minutes, creating jobs and supporting the switch to electric vehicles1. It said this had been made possible by a clear government commitment to decarbonise the economy, with the 2030 phase out date acting as an essential catalyst1.
The body also said government would penalise individual drivers who are doing the right thing, arguing that more people are making the transition to electric vehicles as they have been encouraged to do, and that they are entitled to expect government to keep its promises and continue to support the roll out of charging infrastructure across the UK1.
"Today's extremely worrying news is not consistent with economic stability or confidence. It will compromise the entire industry, and place jobs and consumer and investor confidence at risk."
"ChargeUK calls on the Prime Minister to confirm that the UK government remains committed to the 2030 phase out date for new petrol and diesel vehicles and to a strong ZEV mandate."
Why it matters for households
The 2030 phase out date and the ZEV mandate sit behind the regulation and policy framework that shapes what new cars and vans can be sold in the UK, and how quickly the public charging network is expected to grow. For a household weighing up a switch to electric driving, the commitment matters in two ways: it sets the point at which new petrol and diesel models stop being sold, and it underpins the investment case for the charging points those vehicles depend on.
ChargeUK's figures put a number on that investment: over £6 billion committed by its members, and a new public charging point switched on every 20 minutes1. The statement's argument is that a clear phase out date is what made that spending possible, and that weakening it puts the pace of installation at risk. For a home without off-street parking, where charging depends on the public network rather than a driveway, the rate at which that network grows is the practical constraint on running an electric vehicle.
The statement also raises the position of drivers who have already switched. ChargeUK said government would penalise individual drivers who are doing the right thing, and that they are entitled to expect government to keep its promises on charging infrastructure1. That points to a question of confidence rather than cost: whether the policy environment a household bought into remains the one in place afterwards.
What happens next
ChargeUK has asked the Prime Minister to confirm the 2030 phase out date and a strong ZEV mandate1. No government response to the statement, and no date for a decision, is reported in it1.