Skip to content
Policy & Market
United Kingdom

Car salesman criticises UK electric vehicle mandate in Telegraph opinion piece

By Eve

A car salesman has written in The Telegraph arguing that the UK's electric vehicle mandate is ineffective, though the article does not provide specific sales figures or policy details in the excerpt. The piece appears in the context of ongoing debate over the Zero Emission Vehicle mandate, which requires manufacturers to sell increasing percentages of electric cars each year. The opinion reflects frontline retail perspectives on EV adoption challenges.

Why it matters

Dealer sentiment can influence how EVs are presented to customers and may signal gaps between policy targets and showroom reality. For charging operators, understanding sales resistance helps identify where infrastructure investment or customer education may be needed to support the mandate's goals.

Source

Original title
“I’m a car salesman. The electric vehicles mandate is a joke”
Published
25 March 2026 (date approximate)
Updated
16 July 2026

In this story

Related news

UK ZEHID programme reports 172 electric HGVs have covered 3.6 million kilometres, but grid connection remains key barrier

The UK Government's Zero Emission HGV and Infrastructure Demonstrator (ZEHID) programme, backed by over £200 million and run with Innovate UK, has published its annual report showing 172 funded battery electric trucks across 35 operators have travelled 3.6 million kilometres and carried 550,000 tonnes of cargo, cutting 4,000 tonnes of CO2 emissions. Three projects within ZEHID (Electric Freightway, eFreight 2030 and ZENFreight) are now in live commercial operation with trucks from six manufacturers, though a fourth hydrogen focused project, HyHAUL, was cancelled last year. The report identifies charging infrastructure as the main bottleneck, with grid connection times and costs varying significantly, while the UK still lags behind countries such as Germany in eHGV market share.

Why it matters

For charge point operators and infrastructure developers, the report confirms that grid connection challenges remain the primary constraint on scaling depot charging for heavy goods vehicles, a segment requiring high power installations. With over £200 million in government backing and 35 operators now running electric HGVs commercially, the programme signals growing demand for megawatt scale charging solutions despite current grid barriers.

United Kingdom
9 Oct 2026

ZEHID (uk) · Source

Euro 7 emissions rules may force UK fleets to choose between compliance and faster EV switch, warns Dawsongroup

The UK Government is consulting on adopting Euro 7 emissions standards, which take effect from November 2026 for new light commercial vehicle models and May 2028 for heavy goods vehicles. The rules regulate particulates from brake and tyre wear as well as exhaust emissions, extend compliance periods to ten years or 200,000 kilometres (double the current requirement), and mandate onboard monitoring systems for real time emissions tracking. Simon Ridley, managing director at Dawsongroup vans, said the timing presents a difficult choice for fleet operators already under pressure, potentially forcing them to decide between meeting new compliance standards or accelerating their transition to electric vans.

Why it matters

Fleet operators facing Euro 7 compliance costs may accelerate electric van procurement instead, potentially driving demand for charging infrastructure at depot and destination sites. The extended compliance period and monitoring requirements could make diesel and petrol LCVs less attractive compared to electric alternatives, influencing the scale and timing of fleet electrification projects across the UK market.

European Union
9 Oct 2026

Dawsongroup (eu) · Source

South Korea unveils 747 billion dollar green industrial strategy with full transport electrification

South Korea's Ministry of Climate, Energy and Environment has announced a KRW1,000 trillion (US$747 billion) Korean Green Transformation industrial strategy, presented at a national briefing on 7 October in Seoul. The plan commits to electrifying all transportation, including public buses, motorcycles, construction equipment, ports and vessels, with reformed EV subsidies accounting for local renewable energy production. South Korea's registered EV fleet exceeded one million vehicles (1.095 million) as of end June, according to the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport.

Why it matters

The 747 billion dollar commitment signals massive procurement opportunities across charging infrastructure for diverse vehicle types, from buses to construction equipment and port machinery. Regional initiatives like Jeju's 2035 full electrification target will require extensive charging networks, creating near term tendering activity for CPOs and equipment suppliers.

South Korea
9 Oct 2026

South Korea Government · Source