IMI Survey Reveals Doubts Over 2030 ZEV Mandate

Voice of the automotive workforce urges early review of ZEV Mandate as members express concern about sector readiness.

Responding to comments from Labour MP Perran Moon, who posted on LinkedIn that the government will not row back from its manifesto commitment to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, Nick Connor, Chief Executive of the Institute of the Motor Industry (IMI), said:

“Nobody in our sector disputes the direction of travel - the UK is moving to electric vehicles, and manufacturers, dealers and technicians all need to plan around that. But new IMI insight shows the automotive workforce itself has serious doubts about whether it can keep pace. Nearly half of respondents believe a review of the ZEV Mandate should be brought forward and we need to see a clear focus on skills.”

IMI ZEV Mandate member survey 1: Key findings

• 79% were not at all confident or not very confident that the transition to zero-emission vehicles can be delivered safely and sustainably
• 82% were not very confident or not at all confident that the workforce will be ready at the pace needed
• 39% rated access to EV-related training and upskilling in their part of the sector as very poor or fairly poor
• 44% said the transition to zero-emission vehicles is having a mostly negative or slightly negative effect on their organisation
• 48% supported bringing the ZEV Mandate review forward

The three main priorities respondents want any future review of the ZEV Mandate to address are:

• Charging infrastructure (23%)
• Workforce skills and training (21%)
• Vehicle affordability (15%).

“Mr Moon is right that any review of the ZEV Mandate needs to look at the whole EV supply chain,” added Nick Connor. “Our members agree: charging infrastructure, workforce skills and training, and vehicle affordability are the three priorities they want any review to address. And skills can’t be an afterthought to charge points and pricing - all three have to be tackled together.

“Whatever the Government decides about the pace of the transition, the message from those on the frontline supporting motorists is consistent: don’t let the debate about targets distract from the harder job of making sure technicians, engineers and the wider workforce are ready, safe and confident to deliver it. The sector needs a clear picture about the pace of transition so that training providers, employers and individuals can plan investment in skills with confidence. That's the balancing act that matters most: realistic targets for vehicle sales, matched by an unwavering commitment to making sure the workforce is ready to support them."