UK won’t hit 2030 ZEV targets without help, says Renault UK boss

The UK will not achieve the government’s target of 80% EV sales by 2030 unless incentives are made available to private buyers.

That’s according to new Renault UK boss Adam Wood, who said that while the new Renault 5, priced from £22,995, can “break the glass ceiling” of mainstream electric car ownership, more is needed to achieve mass take-up.

Currently, government legislation under the zero emission vehicles (ZEV) mandate demands that 28% of a car maker’s total sales are electric vehicles, rising each year to 80% in 2030. Heavy fines are dished out to those who miss these targets.

Last year, 15% of Renault’s 86,000 UK sales were EV, 7% below the 2024 target of 22%. Nevertheless, the firm’s 22% EV sales mix in the final quarter of 2024, driven by the new Scenic E-Tech, showed promise.

Wood said: “If we’re to meet that ambitious target – and I appreciate that it is a delicate balancing act – we need a clear, robust plan, together across industry, with the charging industry as well, and with government, to get us there.”

Alongside incentives, Wood said Renault is calling for the installation of chargers to be accelerated – especially on-street chargers – as well as better communication between all parties involved in the consultation.

This last part is probably the most important in terms of achieving success, Wood said, as “we are not seeing the demand curve hit the same curve demanded by the ZEV mandate”. He said more dialogue is needed to set achievable targets. “It is a team game,” he added. “We need a system that brings confidence.”

When asked which of these demands was the most important to Renault, he said: “I do not think it is an either/or situation. We have to address every customer concern if we are going to grow exponentially.”

Another issue faced by car makers and legislators alike is that there is “no historical precedent” to look back on or benchmark against when it comes to the mandate, said Wood. “Certainly, it’s an uncertain future. We just don’t know the speed of demand,” he added.

To increase that speed, according to Wood, the price of EVs needs to drop, either as a result of car makers launching cheaper products, or  incentives – such as public charging VAT cuts or on the buying costs of cars.

“Customers are saying the major objections are, firstly, up-front purchase,” said Wood. “More and more [affordable] vehicles coming to the market are going to address that. Nevertheless, there is a perception there, and we need to listen to it.

“What we need, is an acceleration quickly in the demand, which is target.”

The Renault 5 and upcoming 4 show there is a demand for EVs, at the right price, said Wood, and the inclusion of the new Twingo in the UK would help this further.

“Cars that break the glass ceiling are always welcome,” he said, adding that he is “pushing for it [the Twingo]” to come to the UK. Renault is still weighing up the viability of a right-hand-drive Twingo.

“The reaction here has been very good,” he said. “I think it makes sense to follow 4 and 5.”