Kia’s UK chief has welcomed the review of ZEV mandate regulations that will guide the industry until 2035 but cautions that the UK government has no intention of walking away from its proposed trajectory.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander launched the consultation in late December, asking for industry views on the Government’s restoration of the 2030 petrol and diesel new car ban. Elements of the consultation include gathering views on which full hybrid and plug-in hybrids could be sold still alongside zero emission vehicles, and what approach should be taken for vans and low volume OEMs.
Speaking to AM, Kia UK president and chief executive Paul Philpott highlighted the manufacturer’s strong position in the UK market, driven by its diverse range of electrified vehicles. “In 2024, our ability to offer hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and EVs across various segments formed the foundation of our success,” he said. “We go into 2025 with a solid order bank and momentum in EV adoption, leaving us cautiously optimistic about achieving this year’s 28% EV mix target while continuing to grow.”
Kia’s UK chief has welcomed the review of ZEV mandate regulations that will guide the industry until 2035 but cautions that the UK government has no intention of walking away from its proposed trajectory.
Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander launched the consultation in late December, asking for industry views on the Government’s restoration of the 2030 petrol and diesel new car ban. Elements of the consultation include gathering views on which full hybrid and plug-in hybrids could be sold still alongside zero emission vehicles, and what approach should be taken for vans and low volume OEMs.
Speaking to AM, Kia UK president and chief executive Paul Philpott highlighted the manufacturer’s strong position in the UK market, driven by its diverse range of electrified vehicles. “In 2024, our ability to offer hybrid, plug-in hybrid, and EVs across various segments formed the foundation of our success,” he said. “We go into 2025 with a solid order bank and momentum in EV adoption, leaving us cautiously optimistic about achieving this year’s 28% EV mix target while continuing to grow.”
Engaging with the Government
Even so, he said the government’s formal consultation document, received on Christmas Eve, marked a long-awaited opportunity for dialogue between policymakers and the automotive sector. “We’ve been asking for this since July, and it’s encouraging to see 17 questions addressing crucial aspects of the ZEV mandate,” Philpott noted.
“We’ve got six weeks to respond to the questions and I think it’s a very positive step that government are now dialoguing with industry, because this is a piece of important regulation that takes us all the way through to 2030 and whilst I say we’re cautiously optimistic about our ability to achieve 2025 and indeed 2026 targets – with the flexibilities that are available to all manufacturers – from the 33% target in 2026 to the 80% target in 2030, that’s a very significant increase in the rate or the pace of demand that is required.”
Philpott insisted that the manufacturing industry also needs to understand what can be sold during the transition period between 2030 and 2035. “This is only five years away. We’re making decisions about new product development for that period now, and yet, in the UK, one of the biggest markets for Kia globally, we don’t know what we are allowed to sell.
“We know we’ve got to be at 80% EV mix by 2030 and we know we’ve got to be at 100% EV mix by 2035. What we have no idea about what the other 20% – which goes down to 0% – can be in that five-year period so one of the key things that has to come out of this consultation is absolute clarity for manufacturers as to what we can sell during that period with clear definitions that are fair and equitable for all manufacturers.”
Philpott said Kia would also be calling for demand measures to stimulate EV adoption. “We will be asking for retail incentives to make EVs more accessible to customers,” he said, adding that Kia’s expanding EV lineup – bolstered by the launch of the EV3, EV6, EV9, and upcoming EV4 and EV5 – will position the company well to meet market needs.
Purpose Built Vehicle
Beyond passenger vehicles, 2025 will see Kia entering the commercial vehicle market with the April launch of its first Purpose-Built Vehicle (PBV) electric van range. “Our vans have been developed from the ground up as electric vehicles, ensuring they are practical, efficient, and tailored to operators’ needs,” said Philpott who explained that with features such as rapid charging and Kia’s seven-year warranty, they are arriving at just at the right time since 70% of vans must be all-electric by 2030 under current ZEV mandate targets.
Van manufacturers are currently calling for a temporary moratorium on those targets until additional support and flexibility is available.
While the government has simultaneously launched another initiative to reduce regulatory burdens for businesses operating zero-emission vans, Philpott questions whether any stay wil be likely: “If you read the government consultation document, I don’t think the government have any intention of moratoriums or walking away from the proposed trajectory of ZEV mandate.”
Kia plans to establish 60 dedicated van centres to support its commercial vehicle ambitions, primarily working with its existing dealership partners. “Most will be with our current partners, but not necessarily on the same sites due to space constraints,” Philpott said , adding that Kia was working with dealers to ensure sufficient service capacity to support both passenger and commercial vehicle customers.
While the van centre network is a significant development, Philpott confirmed that Kia’s car dealership structure – comprising 189 dealerships operated by 92 partners – will remain unchanged.
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