Britishvolt, Ford Motor Co and several electric vehicle charging companies are among a group of organisations that have written to the UK government calling for a mandate on a minimum level of EVs on the road by 2024.
The UK has already set a deadline of 2035 from when the sale of new petrol and diesel cars and vans will be banned and is still working on the precise details of the minimum EV mandate.
Timed to coincide with the COP27 climate summit in Egypt this week, the letter was sent to MPs Mark Harper and Grant Shapps, respectively the secretaries of state for transport and for business.
"An ambitious zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate would guarantee a minimum proportion of electric vehicles on the road from 2024 and provide a clear signal and trajectory to infrastructure investors to accelerate the charge-point roll-out," the letter said.
With the design and ambition of mandate still being discussed within government and a consultation response due soon, it added, "We urge the government to move quickly and bring forward legislation to ensure the mandate is operational from 2024, as originally intended."
With 17% of new cars sold in September being fully electric, the group said the level of EV growth seen in recent years puts the UK "within sight" of the potential 2024 floor level of 22% ZEV sales per manufacturer set out in the mandate consultation.
"Bringing forward this legislation will provide a clear and dependable signal to infrastructure providers on EV supply, de-risking charge point investment decisions, and building consumer confidence," the letter said, noting the government’s own estimate that 40,000 extra jobs will be created by the EV transition.
Such a signal from the government would be "crucial to help accelerate the weekly installation rate of new public charging infrastructure", which the group said is seen as essential to boost consumer confidence in buying EVs.
The letter warned against "watering down" the impact by allowing manufacturers to "borrow" against future deliveries of electric vehicles, which would be expected to dampen delivery in the early years of the mandate, lower planned CO2 reductions and slow infrastructure roll-out.
Ford, independent transport research organisation New Automotive, member organisation EVA England and leasing company Octopus Electric Vehicles were among the signatories, along with charging companies Chargepoint, Char.gy, Mer, Pod Point Group Holdings PLC (LSE:PODP), eo, Faircharge and Osprey.