Skip to content
Policy & Market
United Kingdom

Polestar UK MD urges Burnham to retain 2030 ICE ban and cut public charging VAT

By Eve

Matt Galvin, managing director at Polestar UK, has called on Prime Minister Andy Burnham to keep the 2030 ban on new internal combustion engine vehicle sales and introduce measures to stimulate the used EV market, including grants and a scrappage scheme. Galvin also recommended delaying the eVED scheme until EVs form the majority of UK cars and cutting VAT on public EV charging. He cited the UK reaching a tipping point for EV adoption, with second hand EV sales growing.

Why it matters

A VAT cut on public charging would directly affect CPO revenue models and pricing strategies, while scrappage schemes and used EV grants could accelerate fleet turnover and expand the addressable market for workplace and destination charging infrastructure.

Source

Original title
“Polestar UK MD calls on Burnham to keep 2030 ICE ban deadline”
Published
16 July 2026
Updated
20 July 2026

In this story

Related news

Polestar Q3 sales rise 1% globally as US buyers rush ahead of 2027 model year ban

Polestar delivered 14,371 vehicles in Q3, up 1% year on year, but sales outside the US fell 8% to 12,211 units. US deliveries more than doubled to 2,160 vehicles (up 124%) as buyers purchased inventory before a Department of Commerce rule bans new Chinese connected and driver assistance technology from model year 2027. For the first nine months, global sales reached 44,790 units, up 0.6%, with US volumes rising 13% to 4,017 while non US markets dipped 0.5%.

Why it matters

The surge in US sales ahead of the regulatory ban highlights short term demand volatility that OEMs and charge point operators must plan around, particularly as Polestar will need new models and markets to replace American volume. The shift underscores how geopolitical trade rules are reshaping EV sales geography and the infrastructure investment priorities that follow fleet deployment.

Global
China
United States
8 Oct 2026

Polestar · Source

EU to cap Chinese hybrid imports at 350,000 vehicles per year from December

The European Commission has confirmed a quota limiting Chinese hybrid electric vehicle imports to 350,000 units annually, down from an expected 800,000 battery and plug-in hybrids this year. The measure, agreed in Beijing last week and enforceable from December under WTO safeguard rules, aims to halve China's EU market share from 6% to 3% over a four year period. Volkswagen's leadership has backed the plan to support domestic manufacturing.

Why it matters

The quota will reshape EV supply chains and may accelerate local manufacturing investment by Chinese OEMs seeking to maintain EU sales, directly affecting charging infrastructure planning as fleet composition shifts. CPOs and site hosts should anticipate changes in vehicle mix and charging demand patterns as the policy takes effect.

European Union
China
12 Oct 2026

European Union (eu) · Source

Australian energy regulator backs network-funded kerbside EV charger rollout

The Australian Energy Market Commission has granted preliminary approval for a plan to install 14,000 kerbside EV chargers on power poles in underserved areas, funded through household electricity bills. Network operators have pushed the proposal for years, arguing it will address charging black spots in major cities where private deployment is not commercially viable.

Why it matters

The decision creates a regulated utility-led procurement pathway for thousands of charge points in Australia, potentially opening new installation and equipment supply opportunities in areas private CPOs have avoided. The funding model through consumer bills removes commercial risk for network operators entering the charging market.

Australia
11 Oct 2026

Australian Energy Regulator · Source