Stellantis sold 39,492 electric cars in the UK in 2024, marking a 59% increase from 2023 and capturing a 10% slice of the new electric car market
Stellantis, the automotive giant behind the Vauxhall brand, has confirmed it met the Government’s electric vehicle (EV) sales targets for 2024.
The company announced that it met the zero emission vehicle (Zev) mandate “through sales” in the previous year. This news comes after Stellantis revealed plans to shut down its Luton van factory last November, a move threatening 1,100 jobs and attributed to the “stringent” Zev requirements.
According to the mandate, by 2024, at least 22% of new cars and 10% of new vans sold by each manufacturer in the UK must be zero-emission, typically meaning fully electric.
Stellantis said it met these targets thanks to “strong sales of the group’s extensive line-up of electric vehicles, with 30 electric cars and vans on sale in the UK across 11 brands”. They also highlighted selling 39,492 electric cars in the UK in 2024, marking a 59% increase from 2023 and capturing a 10% slice of the new electric car market.
The mandate percentages are set to escalate annually, reaching 28% for new cars and 16% for new vans this year, and soaring to 80% for new cars and 70% for new vans by 2030. Manufacturers who fail to comply with the mandate face penalties unless they utilise flexibilities like purchasing credits from other companies or boosting future sales, with fines reaching £15,000 per non-compliant vehicle sold.
Currently, the Government is considering revisions to these regulations, potentially easing the financial burden on manufacturers that don’t meet the criteria.
Eurig Druce, the group managing director of Stellantis UK, said: “2024 saw more people than ever purchase an EV and I’d like to thank our customers who have decided to switch to electric with one of our brands and also to our incredible UK retailer network for making it happen.
“Despite offering a very comprehensive line-up of popular electric cars and vans, and a strong will and focus on making our EVs as attainable as possible, the steep trajectories of the Zev mandate are out of step from current demand. Put simply, if the UK is to achieve its transport emission ambitions, and for EVs to represent 80% of new cars sold in 2030, then consumers are going to need more encouragement from Government to do so.”
Proponents of the Zev mandate, however, argue that the policy is effective. Representing the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit, Colin Walker highlighted the unintended benefits: “Suggestions that the car industry was struggling, and that the Zev mandate target was too onerous, have proven to be wrong, and were often based on a misunderstanding of how the policy actually works. By encouraging greater competition between manufacturers as they seek to hit their targets, the mandate is driving prices down.”
Quentin Willson, founder of FairCharge and advisory board member of EVUK, said: “The fact that Stellantis has hit their Zev mandate for 2024 shows what we’ve always said – the mandate is achievable. And it’s exactly because of those targets – so often derided by the car industry – that the UK is now the number one EV market in Europe.”
Ben Nelmes, chief executive of New AutoMotive, said: “It is fantastic to see Stellantis – a true heavyweight of UK automotive manufacturing – meeting its electric vehicle targets. The lessons for ministers are clear: the UK’s targets are working, consumer demand is there, manufacturers are delivering, and the UK is poised to benefit from greener, cheaper transport.”
A Department for Transport spokesperson said: “The UK is now the largest EV market in Europe and, thanks to the flexibilities of the Zev Mandate, we are confident that the whole industry will meet targets and that no car manufacturer will need to pay fines.
“We’re investing over £2.3bn to make the transition to zero-emissions vehicles a success, unlocking a multi-billion-pound industry and creating high-quality jobs that will drive growth for decades to come.”
