New diesel and petrol rules for 2024 'should not be major concern'

A new 2024 rule for petrol and diesel in the UK a "highly unlikely" to reduce the number of affordable cars. Experts have warned the Zero Emissions Vehicle (ZEV) mandate rule may not play a role in cutting petrol and diesel car sales.

The new mandate was introduced earlier this year - before the Labour Party won the general election, defeating the Conservative Party at the polls on Thursday (July 4), with Sir Keir Starmer becoming the new Prime Minister.

Specialists at Transport & Environment (T&E) have revealed that carmakers will not “give up their market share on car sales” despite rules mandating a move to electric machines. Speaking to Express.co.uk, Ralph Palmer, Electric Vehicle and Fleets Officer at T&E, highlighted manufacturers could still take advantage of “generous flexibilities”.

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He explained: "It is highly unlikely that carmakers will give up their market share on car sales this way, so this shouldn't be a major concern. Ultimately, carmakers have been given generous flexibilities to meet ZEV mandate targets between 2024-2026 and analysis from New Automotive shows that EV sales are well on track to meet targets, particularly when these flexibilities are taken into account.”

The mandate requires a rising percentage of individual manufacturers’ total annual sales to be zero emissions vehicles each year. In the early years of the ZEV mandate, car makers who fail to meet their targets can trade credits from those who do.

Manufacturers who fail to hit the ZEV mandate targets, or who can’t credit trade their way out of a shortfall, will face potentially heavy financial penalties for every non-compliant vehicle sold. According to the DfT, the penalties will be set at £15,000 per vehicle for any non-ZEV cars sold outside manufacturer allowances, while for vans the fines will be £9,000 in 2024, rising to £18,000 thereafter.