The UK government is committing nearly £400 million to accelerate the rollout of electric vehicle charging infrastructure across England, and it comes as the UK’s world-leading zero-emission vehicle mandate is published, setting ambitious targets for the sale of new cars and vans. Zero emissions and start producing a more competitive electric vehicle (EV). Commercialization of the UK’s pioneering production and use of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) supported by the second round of the £165 million Advanced Fuels Fund and the launch of the SAF mandate consultation.
The Government has today (30 March 2023) unveiled a robust package of measures to boost the UK’s progress towards decarbonising transport.
These measures will support the transition to electric vehicles, as well as sustainable aviation fuel production in the UK – continuing the country’s transition towards net zero.
The Government today launched a £381 million Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Fund alongside an additional £15 million for the On-Street Residential Charging (ORCS) programme. Combined, the funding will support the installation of tens of thousands of new chargers across the country, increasing EV infrastructure in every region and ensuring that the UK’s charging network can support the growing number of EV drivers and those considering the switch.
Transport Minister Mark Harper said:
Transport is one of the most important sectors to achieve net zero by 2050, so we must accelerate our efforts to decarbonize how people get from Point A to Point B while growing our economy and supporting thousands of green jobs.
From expanding our charging network to boosting the production of cleaner aviation fuel, today’s announcement is a big step forward, giving people more choices on how to stay connected while achieving the carbon reductions needed to achieve net zero.
The government also revealed its proposals for a global zero-emission vehicle mandate which, from next year, will set minimum annual targets for the proportion of new car and truck sales that must be zero-emission. The proposed mandate makes the UK’s path to zero-emission vehicles the fastest in Europe.
The plans support the Government’s commitment to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2030, and from 2035, all new cars and vans must be completely zero tailpipe emissions. Between 2030 and 2034, all new vehicles must either be completely zero-emission or be able to drive a significant distance without emissions.
The final proposals are being consulted jointly by the UK Government, along with Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, and are the largest single carbon saving measure identified in the government’s Net Zero Strategy.
These measures build on the progress already made in the transition to electric vehicles, with nearly 17% of new cars sold last year being zero-emissions – supporting thousands of highly-skilled jobs in the sector and helping the country reach its targets. Net zero.
The new measures will support a wide range of manufacturers in the sector by giving them flexibility through a credits-based trading system, enabling them to access bank credits in years when they exceed annual targets to use in future years or trade them with other manufacturers that have fallen short. If manufacturers do not meet their annual targets, they could face potential fines of up to £18,000 for each vehicle that misses their target.
Minister for Technology and Decarbonisation Jesse Norman said:
As today’s announcements show, the Government is doing more than ever to help the UK move away from petrol and diesel and towards electric cars.
This means investing in charging infrastructure and giving clear guidance to manufacturers, so they can roll out new electric vehicles faster and more efficiently. Overall, the UK is leading the way in decarbonising the transport sector, a sector that is one of the largest contributors to greenhouse gases.
Today’s announcement provides long-term certainty for the industry, increasing the number of zero-emission cars available for people to buy and setting a clear direction for operators to accelerate the installation of charging points. With a greater proportion of zero-emission vehicles on UK roads, more drivers will benefit from lower overall running costs compared to their petrol and diesel counterparts. This would support a cheaper used electric car market while improving air quality across the country for everyone.
At current rates, aviation will become one of the largest emitting sectors by 2050, which is why it is essential that the government takes action. Therefore, today the Government is opening the second application round for the £165 million Advanced Fuel Fund, which will help deliver on the UK’s commitment to establish at least 5 UK sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plants on commercial scale by 2025.
The production and use of the UK’s Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) is central to the Jet Zero strategy. SAF can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by more than 70% while enhancing investment, jobs and fuel security.
Aviation Minister Baroness Vere of Norbiton said:
Today’s renewed support for sustainable aviation fuels is another step towards making Jet Zero a reality.
Developing the UK’s SAF industry will not only place the country at the heart of green aviation worldwide, but will also boost investment, jobs and fuel security in the UK.
In addition, a second consultation has been launched on the SAF mandate, which sets out how the mandate will achieve carbon savings, provides incentives for SAF producers and signals to investors the vital role the SAF will play in the future of UK aviation. Furthermore, we are building on the global reputation of our academic institutions by confirming that the University of Sheffield will deliver the UK clearinghouse to support the testing and accreditation of the new SAF.
Gerry Kenny, CEO of BVRLA, said:
The ZEV mandate is a crucial tool for the UK to achieve its ambitious net zero targets. The clarity provided today will give fleets and motorists the confidence to continue their decarbonisation journey and accelerate the transition to zero-emission transport. Electric cars are becoming more popular and accessible than ever before.
This mandate brings long-term certainty to the new and used electric vehicle markets and will help companies across the automotive supply chain plan to phase out sales of gasoline and diesel vehicles. We look forward to working with the government as it implements this mandate and monitors its impact on the new vehicle market.
Tanya Sinclair, Senior Director of Public Policy, Europe at ChargePoint, said:
At ChargePoint, we welcome this announcement and the certainty it brings to all leading players in the charging industry. The UK’s ambitious ZEV mandate will ensure numbers of electric vehicles on the road from 2024, thus providing a clear signal to infrastructure investors to scale up the deployment of charging points.
Having the right charging infrastructure to meet future demand for electric vehicles will support the growth of the charging sector and thousands of highly skilled jobs across the UK. We look forward to continuing to work with the Government on a strong mandate for ZEV, which will be introduced as soon as possible after the consultation period.
