To listen to UK car manufacturers in recent weeks has been to hear a counsel of despair over the electric vehicle market. Struggling to hit targets imposed amid mixed messages from the last government, they have lobbied the new one to relax the rules. Yet November's figures show an industry not just hitting the 22% zero emission mandate but exceeding it, with EVs accounting for a quarter of all new sales.
) Proponents of EVs say once these are taken into account the 'real' target is 19%, and with some manufacturers far exceeding targets, any shortfall can be met from competitors, with not a penny in fines going to the government. New Automotive, which campaigns to increase the pace of the energy transition, tracks global EV sales and its latest figures show BMW-Mini, Jaguar and Vauxhall all recorded EV sales above 30%, with Peugeot, Renault, MG and Skoda exceeding 22% in November.