Unite calls for urgent reforms to EV sales rules to protect jobs

Unite, the UK’s largest union, is warning that thousands of automotive industry jobs depend on immediate reforms to the government’s Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEV) Mandate.

The call comes as Unite submits its strategy for supporting the UK automotive industry and ensuring a just transition for workers to the Department of Transport’s consultation.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham criticised the current approach, stating that the ZEV Mandate’s focus on vehicle sales alone will not deliver the necessary changes to electrify Britain’s road transport network.

She warned that the policy is a blunt tool that risks jobs rather than encouraging people to switch to electric vehicles, adding that the reforms outlined in Unite’s strategy are both sensible and achievable and will accelerate the government’s Net Zero plans by incentivising EV sales, boosting UK vehicle production, and protecting thousands of automotive workers.

Unite’s proposals include awarding additional credits for UK-manufactured vehicles, introducing a ‘bundling’ system to allow low-emission commercial vehicles to count towards passenger vehicle sales targets, and allowing exported EVs to contribute to credit thresholds.

The union also insists that the UK’s ban on internal combustion engine vehicles should remain aligned with the European Union’s 2035 deadline unless a clear job protection strategy is introduced, which the current ZEV framework does not provide.

Beyond ZEV, Unite is calling for a broader government strategy to safeguard jobs and expand the UK’s EV market. It is urging ministers to introduce VAT reductions on UK-made EVs for private buyers, invest in charging infrastructure, and take action to curb energy profiteering to bring down the cost of charging electric vehicles.

Unite’s national officer for the automotive sector Des Quinn said the national industry is at a critical juncture, with thousands of jobs depending on the government’s vision and the measures it puts in place to prevent the current low-volume crisis from permanently shrinking the sector.

He stressed that Labour’s long-awaited Industrial Strategy must provide a clear route through the major changes facing the industry and deliver a just transition for the country’s automotive industry workers.