Stellantis CEO: "Terrible" ZEV mandate will "kill" UK car industry

Stellantis boss Carlos Tavares has branded the ZEV mandate a "terrible thing for the UK" and warned that it could "kill" the domestic automotive industry. Under the current terms of the ZEV mandate, car makers must achieve at least a 22% sales mix of pure-electric models in the UK this year or risk heavy penalties. That proportion rises in increments to 80% in 2030, on the way to combustion car sales being stopped in 2035. Speaking to UK journalists from Stellantis's small van factory at Ellesmere Port, Tavares agreed with the logic behind this notion, saying "I think the fact that they are imposing a ramp-up of [EV sales] makes sense," but added: "The problem is the magnitude and the positioning of the ZEV mandate vis-a-vis the natural demand of the market." Related articles He estimated that "the natural demand of the market today in the UK for BEVs is half of the mandate", and cautioned of the dangers of boosting this proportion with legislation and fines.